Why Emotions Should Be Allowed in the Workplace

For years there’s been a common belief that emotions aren’t allowed in the workplace.

Emotions such as:

Sadness
Anger
Stress
Fear
Frustration

That they are inherently unprofessional.

Or a sign of weakness.

That they should be compartmentalized.

Yet research has shown that emotions inform decision-making - 70% of the time.

They also inform problem-solving.

The fact is, it’s not the emotions that are the problem.

It’s our ability as leaders to address the emotions.

To be with them.

To support the individual who is feeling the emotion.

Instead of creating a culture where emotions don’t exist.

Learn how to address the emotions by:

Validating their experience: “I can understand how that can be frustrating”
Get curious - seek to understand: “Can you tell me more about that”?
Provide support: “How can I best support you right now”?
Provide direction: “Would it be helpful to x, y or z”?
Relate to them: “Would it be helpful to hear what helped me in a similar situation”?

Consider that we need emotions AND logic to create a wise mind.

Both need to coexist.

Recognizing, valuing and addressing an employee’s emotional state builds trust.

It also contributes to the organization’s overall success.

Both culturally and economically.