The Power of a Relaxed Emotional Tone

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney - Davos 2026

There is so much to learn about leadership from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s masterful speech at Davos earlier this week. Speaking of how middle powers can respond to “rupture” in the world order, Carney channeled the ancient Greek historian Thucydides in noting, “...the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.”

But Carney did not focus on weakness. He did not complain. Instead, he shone a light. He described a path forward for middle powers such as Canada and Europe in the face of great-power rivalry between the U.S., Russia, China.

Carney was warm and thoughtful. He was confident. He was relaxed. He was powerful.

Carney demonstrated the importance of a leader’s emotional tone. He showed that when a leader is calm, it can help others relax, think, and draw on their own deliberative cognitive resources. A relaxed tone can help inspire others to join without fear.

If you haven’t seen it, the address is well worth watching–for leadership lessons as well as global affairs.