The hosts discuss the challenges women face when expressing emotions at work and emphasize the need to think carefully about when to express or not express emotions. They also talk about the balance between sharing and oversharing in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of preserving relationships and providing necessary information. Strategies for calming down when feeling angry or upset are also discussed, highlighting the importance of taking a break and questioning assumptions.
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:
Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter.
Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org