The podcast discusses the importance of sharing emotions at work, strategies for effectively expressing emotions, handling crying in the workplace, managing emotional outbursts, evolving expectations of emotional expression, and considering the impact of one's message on others.
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Quick takeaways
Sharing emotions at work can lead to better understanding, stronger relationships, and improved team performance.
Establishing boundaries around emotional expression is crucial to maintain stability and avoid overwhelming oneself or others.
Creating a workplace culture that encourages emotional authenticity is important for fostering psychological safety and employee well-being.
Deep dives
The Importance of Sharing Emotions at Work
Sharing emotions at work, especially for women, is crucial because emotions will come out one way or another. Women tend to be labeled as overly emotional, which requires them to think longer and harder about when and how to express their emotions. However, expressing emotions effectively can lead to better understanding, stronger relationships, and improved team performance. It's important to practice selective vulnerability, sharing emotions while prioritizing the psychological safety of the team. Boundaries between sharing and oversharing should be defined to maintain a professional balance. Managers should regulate empathy, create stability, and provide support by understanding the norms of the team, recognizing emotional differences, and promoting authenticity and candid conversations.
Navigating the Emotional Future of Work
The future of work is becoming more emotionally driven. However, understanding and managing emotions at work require careful consideration. While expectations of emotional expression are changing, it's essential to gauge the burden that our emotions might impose on others. Context plays a significant role in determining the appropriateness of emotion sharing. Selective vulnerability is key, focusing on purposeful sharing that helps others understand our perspective or supports teamwork. Leaders should openly acknowledge challenging situations, validate emotions, and address them in a way that preserves their authority. Sharing personal stories and allowing space for different emotional tendencies can contribute to a more empathetic and supportive work environment.
Setting Boundaries for Emotional Expression
Establishing boundaries around emotional expression is crucial to maintain stability and avoid overwhelming oneself or others. Leaders need to strike a balance between creating psychological safety and fostering productivity. They should provide support to their teams without trying to act as therapists or carrying the burden of solving every issue. Leaders can regulate their empathy by investing in clear roles and responsibilities, understanding company benefits and resources, and encouraging managers to prioritize supporting their team members. Drawing boundaries and avoiding oversharing can help leaders provide necessary guidance while maintaining professionalism and authority.
Encouraging Emotional Authenticity in the Workplace
Creating a workplace culture that encourages emotional authenticity is important for fostering psychological safety and employee well-being. Leaders can promote emotional openness by sharing their own emotions and experiences in a professional manner. This can help establish a sense of trust, reduce anxiety, and strengthen relationships. However, it is crucial for leaders to recognize their limitations and focus on what they are best equipped to provide, such as support in day-to-day work and pointing employees toward helpful resources. It is also important for leaders to understand that emotions can be overwhelming, and it is acceptable to seek personal time and space to process them before addressing them openly.
Creating Supportive and Empathetic Leadership
Supportive and empathetic leadership is essential for creating a compassionate and resilient workplace. Leaders can promote psychological safety by acknowledging the challenging and overwhelming aspects of work and sharing the company's available resources. They can help employees feel safe by actively communicating and responding to their individual needs. It is crucial for leaders to understand their employees' emotional tendencies and provide support accordingly. Openly discussing emotions, encouraging conversations, and cultivating a culture of trust can empower employees and foster a positive work environment while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
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.
