While driving, we all rely on our indicators to communicate clearly with other drivers. Your turn signals show whether you’re turning left or right, your brake lights let others know you’re stopping, and your headlights ensure you’re visible at night. These seemingly simple signals keep us safe and allow traffic to flow smoothly.
Sometimes, though, you encounter drivers who send… less-than-friendly indicators — perhaps a certain hand gesture suggesting you’re “number one” in their book (though we both know that’s not their real intent!).
The same concept of indicators applies in the workplace. Have you thought about the messages you send — not just through words, but through tone of voice, body language, temperament, and even small facial expressions?
An EMT’s Perspective on Indicators
As an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), I once responded to a multi-vehicle crash. Approaching my assigned vehicle, I found two patients: one conscious, the other unconscious with head trauma. While stabilizing the unconscious patient, I assessed the conscious individual, who had a cloth in place, and applied steady, reassuring communication.
In a chaotic environment, my indicators — my calm demeanor, steady voice, and focused actions — helped maintain control, keeping the patient’s blood pressure stable and preventing emotional escalation. This experience taught me that in high-stress situations, how we signal our intentions and emotions can determine whether a situation escalates or resolves smoothly.
Fight or Flight in the Workplace
Have you ever had someone enter a room and instantly felt the energy shift? That gut instinct of “something is wrong” can trigger your fight-or-flight response — an ancient survival mechanism that prepares us to either confront a threat or run from it.
But should we ever feel this way in the workplace? The answer is no. When employees feel threatened or intimidated, their brains redirect energy away from problem-solving and creativity, focusing instead of self-preservation.
According to Amy Edmondson’s work on psychological safety, environments that induce fear undermine trust and engagement, drastically reducing productivity and innovation (Edmondson, 2018). The State of the Global Workplace Report by Gallup (2023) further shows that only 21% of employees worldwide are engaged.
The Car Analogy from Driving Engagement
In Driving Engagement (Liechty & Williams, 2022), leadership is compared to driving a high-performance sports car. You wouldn’t expect your car to perform at peak level if you haven’t fueled it or maintained it properly. Just as you rely on clear dashboard indicators and signals to reach your destination safely, employees rely on leaders’ indicators to navigate their work environment.
If your car’s fuel gauge warns “empty,” you wouldn’t keep driving and expect it to run. Similarly, if your leadership “indicators” (body language, communication style, temperament) project negativity or fear, you can’t expect your team to perform at full capacity.
Why Your Indicators Matter
Leaders who use fear and intimidation as their primary signals create toxic work cultures. Instead of feeling safe and empowered, employees focus on avoiding conflict. As a result, they operate in “survival mode,” where engagement, creativity, and discretionary effort vanish.
The Society for Human Resources (SHRM, 2023) found that toxic workplace cultures cost U.S. companies over $223 billion in turnover over five years. Meanwhile, organizations that promote trust and positive leadership indicators achieve up to 50% higher productivity.
How to Cultivate Positive Indicators
The first step is self-awareness. Leaders must evaluate their signals honestly:
- Do you cross your arms when someone speaks, signally impatience or resistance?
- Do you use a harsh or sarcastic tone, even unintentionally?
- Do you provide constructive feedback with respect, or do you criticize publicly?
Start by “fueling yourself” — intentionally setting a positive tone and creating space for safe, open communication. Just as you fuel your car to reach your destination, leaders must fuel their teams with trust, recognition, and empowerment before expecting high performance. In Driving Engagement, the authors emphasize that leaders should be like skilled drivers, constantly reading the dashboard and adjusting calmly, not overreacting. This steady presence builds confidence and trust in the “vehicle” of the organization.
A Positive Direction Forward
If you want a workplace that runs like a finely tuned sports car — efficient, creative, and resilient — focus on your indicators first. Build trust-based leadership through clear, positive signals that empower people, rather than intimidate them.
Remember, no vehicle runs on empty, and no employee can thrive on fear. Your team deserves to be “fueled” with encouragement, respect, and authentic engagement.
Check your indicators today — they might just be the key to unlocking your organization’s true potential.
Sources
Liechty, E., & Williams, M. (2022). Driving Engagement. WILLIAMS & CO PUBLISHING.
Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley.
Gallup. (2025). State of the Global Workplace Report. State of the Global Workplace Report – Gallup
SHRM. (2023). The High Cost of a Toxic Workplace Culture. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/winter2023/pages/the-high-cost-of-toxic-workplace-culture.aspx
Image Credits
Wallhere. (n.d.). Sports car speeding on a road at sunset [Photograph]. Wallhere. https://wallhere.com/en/wallpaper/868008
iStock. (n.d.). Rescue team performing emergency measures [Photograph]. iStock. https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/rescue-measure
Animalia Life. (n.d.). Inspirational quote about moving forward in life [Digital image]. Animalia Life. https://animalia-life.club/qa/pictures/inspirational-quotes-about-moving-forward-in-life
