How To Lead Amidst Work Emotions And Feelings

Business is often associated with high achievement and getting work done. Emotions in business have been taboo. No one actually cared about it in the past. However, the 21st century has seen a shift, and mental health has been brought to the forefront of leaders’ attention at all levels. This is why it’s important for you to know how to lead amidst work emotions and feelings.

As a leader, your emotional intelligence is what helps you understand how your employees and team feel. So, let’s see how you can take the first steps to increasing your awareness of others’ feelings and creating a safe emotional culture.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

It will be beneficial to start with a description of emotional intelligence. This is one of the terms that are often used but many people don’t really know what they mean. 

For the purpose of this article, the Cambridge dictionary definition is perfect and easy to understand:

the ability to understand and control your own feelings, and to understand the feelings of others and react to them in a suitable way

Cambridge Dictionary

The part we will focus on here is understanding the feelings of others and responding to them in a suitable way amidst work emotions.

Read on to find out why this matters and five ways you can start practicing more emotional intelligence toward your team and others around you. 

Work Emotions Matters

Many of you might wonder why the feelings of your employees and team matter. After all, we are talking business here.

Well, feelings do matter. A lot. 

We might consider ourselves rational and logical, as Adam Smith described us.

However, the latest research shows that we are irrational (Ariely would say even predictably irrational). Our decisions and actions are often driven by emotions. We all operate in an EAT mode rather than an ETA mode. 

We get emotional, act, and then think about it (EAT) instead of getting emotional, thinking about it, and finally acting (ETA). 

Chances are you have experienced this, and your employees have also done it.

Think about a time when you were angry, frustrated, or excited about something. What actions did you take? Did you stop to think before you acted, or did you act and then think about the situation?

Why it Matters

Getting back to why it matters. Your employees are human beings, and they are driven by their emotions.

How they show up every day is based on how they feel. If they are happy, they will produce and create value. If they are sad or frustrated, they will slack and can even bring others down. 

Like it or not, emotions in business are a powerful driver.

And now, you must keep in touch with your employees and check how they feel. Heavy and deep feelings can surface with the isolation many of us are experiencing while working from home Yes, even after 4 years of working from home.

This impacts our lives and, of course, our work. 

Mental health and burnout have been a hot topic in the past months, especially with the winter months in the northern hemisphere. 

The Social Aspect

On top of being driven by emotions, we are also social beings, like it or not. And with the lack of social interactions, our emotional state can become very volatile or go into the catabolic energy range.

The impact of this goes beyond your business.

It’s time you, the leader in your company, organization, community, or family, took the step to understand the work emotions your team experiences and help them stay focused and have anabolic energy. 

5 Keys to Understanding Your Team’s Emotions

Now that you know why it is so essential to understand work emotions and the benefits that come with it, it’s time for actionable steps. Here are five things you can do to better understand your employees.

1. Learn about emotional intelligence and recognizing feelings

The first step in the process is to learn more about emotional intelligence. I am currently doing this – learning more about it.

Why?

Because I was never really taught about it. Just like with the listening skill, it’s something schools don’t educate us on.

So, take it into your hands to gain the knowledge, then apply it. 

2. Understand how you feel

Just like with awareness, the place you want to start is yourself.

How can you understand how others feel if you don’t know how you feel?

Start paying attention to your own emotions, feelings, triggers, and responses or reactions. Find out who you really are and how your feelings show up and affect you and others. 

3. Observe your team and employees

With the knowledge you have gained from reading more about emotional intelligence and paying attention to your own feelings, it’s time to start observing others.

Notice how your team acts and responds to various situations.

Pay attention to changes in facial expression, body language, and tone of voice. These can all indicate emotions. 

4. Put yourself in their shoes

A step further is to put yourself in your team’s shoes.

How would you feel if you were in the same situation?

Considering the other person’s background and thinking, what would your emotions be under these circumstances?

If you were presenting at a meeting and someone constantly interrupted you, how would you feel?

How about when someone tells you exactly what to do without even asking for your input?

5. Ask open-ended questions and probe gently

Lastly, just have open conversations with your employees and team.

Ask them open-ended questions about their feelings. Let them know that you want to ensure they feel emotionally, physically, and mentally well.

Ask them to share how they are doing. How they are really doing, not just the regular “I’m fine, thanks.” 

And then don’t judge them. Acknowledge and validate the emotions.

Do they feel stressed, frustrated, anxious, happy, sad, joyful, angry, etc.? It is normal for them to feel that way under the circumstances. Validate it!

Then, once they are in a less heightened state, you can start working on a solution:

• How do you keep up the good emotions?
• How do you reduce the bad?

Create a Thriving Emotional Culture

Knowing how your employees and team feel will produce excellent results for you and your organization.

The increase in productivity and happiness are just some benefits for the organization.

On a personal level, you will be helping people be heard, feel validated, get happier and understood.

Words cannot describe the powerful shift this creates in energy and attitude. Try it, and if you want further development when it comes to Emotional Intelligence, our e-Leadership program is ideal for any leader.