Don’t take your anger out on your colleagues
Whether it’s private problems or an actual conflict at work, you should never let your feelings out on your colleagues. If this does happen, an apology is called for as soon as possible – and uninvolved colleagues should also be aware of it. In this way, it is clear to everyone that the problem has been discussed or resolved and, in the best-case scenario, the atmosphere improves again.
If emotions are discussed among colleagues or possibly also with the boss, this can lead to unpleasant situations, but in the long term it can also lead to closer cohesion, especially in smaller companies. Basically, positive feelings are welcome, there is almost no such thing as too much of a good thing. Before emotions are shown at work – regardless of whether they are discussed intentionally or incidentally – it should always be kept in mind that emotionality of any kind offers a target for attack. So it’s probably a good idea not to spill everything in the office.
Faking in good faith, faking in bad faith
In some professions, customers are expected to show emotionality. Be it joy or sympathy, the emotions usually do not correspond to the true feelings. For example, if a flight attendant always shows a bright smile or a nurse shows sadness, this is called “faking in good faith” – and in fact, most people don’t have a problem as long as they think the customer or patient deserves the emotion shown. “Faking in bad faith”, on the other hand, has a bad effect on motivation in the long run. This often occurs when an employee needs to listen to a lot of negativity but still remain friendly.
Although emotions may be shown and feigned in customer contact, this should not happen between colleagues.
Don’t suppress emotions – honesty makes more sense
In a Die Zeit interview with psychologist Gerhard Blickle, it becomes clear: Emotions, especially negative ones, should not be suppressed but addressed. Because: “At the workplace, you always have to rely on follow-up communication,” says Blickle. This means that contact with colleagues must also work in a week or a month. There’s no point in eating something inside yourself. And that’s true even though Blickle says that those who control their emotions are more successful.
Not only must communication and contact with colleagues work, ideally there should also be a good relationship with superiors. When they find out what is on the employees’ minds and what problems there are at the moment, such things can be clarified and the work can be continued without any problems.
Because if an employee does not show or tell his manager what occupies and moves him, this can also result in depression, inner resignation, lack of motivation and more frequent sick calls – and that doesn’t help anyone.
Editorial office finanzen.net
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