Mastering Leadership: Professor Laura Little on Trust, Emotional Intelligence, and Overcoming Cognitive Distortions

In a recent interview, Dr. Laura Little, the Chick-Fil-A Distinguished Professor for Leadership Advancement at UGA’s Terry College of Business, shared valuable insights into leadership that emphasize emotional intelligence, trust, and addressing cognitive distortions. These topics are central to her teaching in both the Institute for Leadership Advancement and UGA Executive Education programs. This article explores key themes discussed during the interview, offering detailed explanations and practical exercises to enhance leadership skills.

Addressing Leadership Challenges 

Laura Little highlights an ongoing challenge leaders face is balancing productivity with employee well-being. “That tension—between being productive and successful while managing people well—is a huge challenge,” she explains. One key element in navigating that tension is trust. “People trust trustworthy people,” she notes. She highlights, in particular, the benevolence aspect of trustworthiness, which is often misunderstood by practitioners. Trustworthiness, she explains, includes ability (competence), integrity (honesty), and benevolence (genuine care for others). Laura explains that while practitioners understand the importance of trust, they often focus too much on the ability aspect and neglect benevolence. "To be a good leader, you have to show that you care about your people." She uses exercises to help leaders understand and practice benevolence. For example, she gives participants roles in a project where one person is very distrusting, constantly questioning others' motives. This helps illustrate the impact of distrust and the importance of demonstrating kindness.

Cognitive Distortions and Leadership 

Laura also discusses the concept of cognitive distortions, which are irrational or biased ways of thinking that can lead to negative emotions and behaviors. These distortions are common in leadership and can significantly impact conflict management and team dynamics. Laura explains, "When something happens to us, we interpret it, and then we have an emotion. A lot of times, those interpretations are distorted." 

She provides specific examples of cognitive distortions, such as: 

“We’re not just influenced by our own cognitive distortions—we can also influence others when we express those distortions as fact.” Laura explains. “This can create real problems in the workplace. People hear someone else’s distorted thinking and take it as truth, and that can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, as people may act on incorrect assumptions. 

To address these patterns, Laura uses practical exercises in her classes. "I usually just put up a slide that has nine distortions,” she says I admit to the ones that I am particularly guilty of, and then I put them in groups and say, 'All right, let's be vulnerable. Let's talk about our distortions. How do you overcome those?'" This exercise encourages students to recognize their own cognitive distortions and discuss them openly, fostering self-awareness and better leadership skills.

Growth-Directed Thinking 

Laura introduces the concept of growth-directed thinking, a method she uses to help leaders focus on solutions rather than problems. She explains, "I make them think about a problem that they’ve been working on. And I give them this very external frame. Such as ‘What are the obstacles in the way?" This approach encourages leaders to frame their goals positively, ensuring they are within their control and have clear evidence of success. 

Emotional Intelligence 

Laura also emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership. She notes that self-awareness is a critical component of emotional intelligence and shares how she helps students develop this skill. "My classes are very self-awareness focused. You have to learn about yourself and then lead from there." She discusses how students often push back on self-awareness exercises, particularly when it comes to recognizing their weaknesses. Laura encourages them to be curious and open to feedback. "Just be curious. Just hold this space for this piece of information and then go out into your world and see what either refutes it or supports it."  

Conclusion 

Laura Little's insights into leadership provide a comprehensive guide for current and aspiring leaders. By addressing cognitive distortions, emphasizing the importance of trust and benevolence, and fostering emotional intelligence, Laura offers practical advice and exercises to enhance leadership skills. Her focus on self-awareness and growth-directed thinking encourages leaders to develop a proactive and positive mindset, ultimately leading to more effective and compassionate leadership. 

Click here to read more about Dr. Laura Little and the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.