When I started in business, I quickly realized that it wasn’t professional to be sensitive at work. But emotions at work are always present. Hence, it could well create some complications that the emotions were still there when they weren’t well seen. Anger at work is a general problem, but through simple techniques you can deal with anger and conflicts at work without compromising anyone. Neither yourself nor anyone else.
No matter where you work, you may find that you find that your emotions can manifest in an unproductive way during a workday. So, how do you just work with emotions and anger in the workplace without it becoming too ‘Together we sit in a circle and share’?
Anger is a natural reaction that we as humans have to be able to defend ourselves in a deadly situation. The problem is that humans often react with the same fear and anger to organizational changes, redistribution of tasks, and the like as if we were attacked by a bear. Whether we acknowledge it or not, the feeling is there. It doesn’t help to just shut it off. Because it still guides your actions, thoughts, and personal strength.
We recommend that managers take both their own, but also employees’ feelings at work seriously. Because a workplace where you are allowed to bring your feelings is a workplace where you can be yourself. It is incredibly liberating and gives more energy, focus and productivity to what it is really about: namely work. So emotions should not be suppressed. But that also doesn’t mean all emotions have to go out.
Here comes the simple technique: It may be helpful to consider your emotions as containers with valves. Your containers will be filled with emotions over time, and if you don’t open the valves a bit every now and then and relieve the pressure on the container – it can end up exploding. It will only result in a major clean-up work, as more emotions can be affected, and can result in emotional confusion. Thereby making it harder to locate the origin of the emotional explosion.
However, you should also be aware that if you open too much on a valve and let out too many emotions at once, then you don’t have control over your emotions, and then you aren’t productive in your work anymore, as the work will be overpowered and overshadowed by emotions.
A great deal of productivity is lost in workplaces due to poor handling of emotions. Being overwhelmed of negative emotions is both inappropriate for you and your colleagues. It is important to keep in mind that there are no mind readers. Hence, you cannot necessarily feel the direct irritation of your colleagues, bosses or employees. But it’s still there, and it disrupts collaboration and productivity.
Therefore, as an employee, you must be good at knowing your feelings, and not go easy over the fact that you might talk harshly or annoyed to a colleague, on the basis of your own feelings. The colleague probably didn’t intend to annoy/hurt you with his/her comment or question. So, remember to take responsibility for your own feelings, it’s not your fault that you feel the way you do, but it’s your responsibility that others aren’t inappropriately affected by your emotional reactions.
Do you want to get better at dealing with emotions in your workplace? Then write me and learn more about what we can do for you.
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