Daily Leadership Thought #58 – Emotions Aren’t Bad
Emotions aren’t bad; they need to be appropriate to the situation and managed accordingly. In my experience, people often won’t trust or have other concerns about a leader or colleague who is devoid of emotion and stoic in all situations. They want authenticity. The strong, silent leadership archetype is no longer as effective as it once was; employees have changed, and so have the times. Sometimes anger is appropriate; just don’t let it get the best of you or cause you to take actions you will later regret. Worrying can be a useful motivator if it doesn’t become all-encompassing. Fear can be a natural response to certain things, but acknowledging it, addressing it, and moving on is essential. Joy can be infectious and should be shared with others to boost their spirits as well. It’s also okay to be silly and lighten the mood occasionally. Being human means being vulnerable and experiencing a wide gamut of natural emotions. Don’t suppress your feelings. Instead, use it as a means of connecting to others and letting them know it’s okay to be vulnerable as well. Just make sure you are professional and adult about it.
Related articles
- Big Feels and How to Talk About Them (healthline.com)
- EMOTIONS. Where are they, and why have they gone? (blockthat.wordpress.com)
- Emotion: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (stanford.edu)
