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The consequences of dismissing or mismanaging employees' emotions can be "catastrophic" for organisations, but when leaders recognise and properly handle them, "teams achieve remarkable things", an executive coach says.

According to clinical psychologist and organisational consultant Michael Drayton, feelings are the "energy" or "electricity" flowing through an organisation, because they provide "the power that makes stuff move and gets stuff done".

However, he warns in The Emotional Life of Organisations, that same "emotional electricity" can also "get blocked and cause a short circuit, a fire, or an explosion".

Drayton notes that emotions and feelings, while closely related, are distinct concepts. "Emotions are complex biological and psychological states, while feelings are the subjective labels we attach to our emotional experiences," he explains...