WHEN LEADERSHIP RUNS ON EMOTIONAL VOLTAGE

Human Design! It is an amazing tool for understanding, connecting, and healing business relationships.

Some of us have Gate 6 in their Human Design—the Peacemaker. This gate carries emotional tension, but in leadership, that tension can often be misunderstood and unrecognized when in its shadow and cause enormous damage within a company. Most chalk up this emotional tension to something that, in its shadow, shows up as micromanaging. But when this play is happening, one can be assured that something much deeper is at play—an unconscious drama loop. This loop is there to reinforce a pattern that has proven over time to keep the individual or business safe.

What begins as a leader feeling unheard, dismissed, or unsupported gradually builds emotional tension beneath the surface, silently intensifying until it eventually erupts in an explosion - generally justified by the leader through blame.

The Loop Looks Like This:

→ Victim – “No one is listening to me. This is very important. I’ve always done it this way,” etc.

→ Persecutor – “I’ll control this with tone, sharpness, or authority.”

→ Reinforcer – “I don’t want to be wrong, so let me find someone who agrees with my story so I can justly build up my case and get what I want.”

And if this play is successful, another person becomes the Victim, and...

→ Back to the start.

This is a Drama Loop disguised as leadership.

The leader doesn’t feel like they’re creating chaos. They feel like they’re holding the business together, building an empire the way it should be built.

But what the team experiences is something different:

An emotional minefield

Explosions during meetings

Passive silence from employees

Fear of taking risks among staff

A shrinking sense of safety

No room for honest feedback or organic growth

As time passes, people stop bringing ideas. They stop speaking. They stop being invested in growing the company. They show up only for a paycheck. They manage the leader’s mood instead of the business.

The good news is is that gate 6 has a gift. The gift is not in its shadow of conflict; it’s in its capacity to create peace through diplomacy.

The louder the leader gets, the quieter the room becomes.

This plays out until there’s no feedback loop left—just control, reactivity, and isolation.

The key is to speak only when the emotional wave is clear, and to lead from presence, not emotional pressure.

Moving from Shadow to Gift one must become aware of one's inner emotional landscape and allow one simple shift. This shift is simple, yet not easy.

How?

Take a moment to pause when the urge to control or explode arises. Reflect on whether the emotional impulse is truly important—and why. Is this emotion stemming from a need to reinforce old, familiar patterns, or is it in service of the company's well-being? Check in with yourself and ask: Is this urgency rooted in an emotional wave of fear?

Once the wave has calmed—and not before—speak plain truth. Refuse to lead from within the emotional surge.

Why?

Because true leadership isn’t powered by raw, heightened emotion. Powerful, authentic, and impactful leadership is revealed through diplomacy and peace when electric emotions no longer run the show.

What?

When the leader heals the loop and when tension no longer stifles transparent communication, something remarkable happens. The team begins to trust because they feel emotionally safe. Because of this shift, they become creative, alive, and passionate. Communication becomes collaborative, not controlling or defensive.

The real success of the business begins to flow not from the leader’s singular authority, but from the team working together, fully aligned and empowered.

In this new space, leadership isn’t a top-down command—it’s a steady presence, anchoring the team, guiding them, and allowing each person to rise in their own power.

The business grows because the team thrives together, not because the leader single-handedly carries the weight of the company on their shoulders.

This is when peace takes the place of drama and diplomacy takes the place of control.

Once Gate 6’s emotional charge is recognized—not avoided—the business doesn’t just survive, it thrives through mutual trust, respect, and clear communication. Success shifts from being driven by fear to being driven by clarity, collaboration, and shared vision.

Gate 6 Key