Changing Expectations of Emotional Expression at Work

Holding in anxiety, anger, or despair for the sake of appearing professional can feel impossible. When the emotions are just too much—your boss’s dismissive tone infuriates you, a direct report unloads, you can’t hold back tears in a meeting, a tragedy happens and you’re leading an all-staff tomorrow morning—what do you do?

Liz Fosslien believes “the future of work is emotional.” The Amys revisit our 2020 conversation with her and fellow organizational consultant Mollie West Duffy about the good that can come from being vulnerable with colleagues, then Fosslien returns to help us reassess where the line between vulnerability and oversharing is today.

Resources:

• No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work, by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
• Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay, by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
• “Handling Negative Emotions in a Way that’s Good for Your Team,” by Emma Seppälä and Christina Bradley
• “How to Control Your Emotions During a Difficult Conversation,” by Amy Gallo
• “New Managers Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Express Their Emotions,” by Kristi Hedges

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