Two Questions to Ask When You’re Emotional at Work

Dealing with emotions at work is a common concern for many professionals. After all, if you’re invested in your work and care about doing a good job, it’s only natural to get emotional from time to time.

However, as we know, emotions can also be dangerous. They can cloud our logical thinking and cause us to behave in irrational ways, which can ultimately damage our professional standing.

One of the most important strategies to manage emotions at work is to GET CURIOUS. There are two important questions you can ask to help you do this.

First, realize that emotions are a combination of two things: information + energy.

When you’re feeling emotional, ask yourself:

What information is this emotion giving me?

What does it tell you about yourself and the people you’re dealing with? What does it tell you about the circumstances and the environment?

Often, the important information is hidden behind ego, hurt feelings, and other unhelpful distractions. So you really have to slow down and analyze the root cause of your emotions. I find this is easiest when done with a trusted advisor or mentor. Too often, we can’t see beyond the emotion on our own.

The information you gather is going to help you navigate the situation more effectively. You’ll begin to see what is within your control and what’s not, and what can be done to resolve the situation. You’ll also start to identify ways to prevent these same kinds of issues in the future.

Second, when you’re feeling emotional, ask yourself:

How am I going to release this energy?

Go for a walk? Cry it out in private? Vent a friend outside of work?

Whatever you do, don’t keep emotional energy locked up inside because it will come out sideways one day when you’re not ready for it.

Remember that emotions are not inherently good or bad. They are simply information and energy. It’s all about what you choose to do with those things, so act responsibly by asking these two questions.

Try it out the next time you get emotional at work and let me know how it goes on LinkedIn!

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