Another topic discussed in the Freemason Leadership Program 2018 was “The Emotional Temperature”. This reflects trying to influence the emotional temperature in a meeting or interaction and balance it between apathy and becoming overheated but maintaining it at a state where people are engaged and productive and not feeling angry, overwhelmed or over anxious.

In situations like managing The Dissenting Voice, navigating the Chaordic Path or simply conducting one of the Forums popular in Freemasonry at the moment – keeping the “Emotional Temperature” just right is an important goal. It is useful in Freemasonry, at work and at home, but often we meet extremes in emotional temperatures in the Craft, too cold born of a lack of engagement or empowerment, or too hot from frustration and alienation.

"The Emotional Temperature" is a temperature to take and manage in apathetic or heated moments - to consciously influence by raising or lowering the emotional temperature. To raise it, one might try to inspire or challenge and to lower it, one might listen, redirect or simply call a time out. Have a think; no doubt the most productive meetings you have attended have managed “The Emotional Temperature” between apathy and anxiety into a perfect balance between the two into what is known as the “The Zone of Progress.”