Emotions are a big part of the decision-making process. While we all may like to believe that we always act rationally, that we only consider the facts, and that we don\u2019t let our emotions \u201cget in the way\u201d, the reality is that how we feel affects a lot of what we do.<\/p>\n
Events in and outside of the workplace can have an impact on an organization\u2019s performance. If team members are sad, angry, or frustrated, they won\u2019t work well together and productivity will decline. Conversely, when people are happy and feel valued and accepted, they are more productive and they like doing their work more. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important for an organization to have a positive emotional culture.<\/p>\n
The \u201cemotional culture\u201d of an organization are the feelings, attitudes, and moods of those who work there, as well as the overall \u201cfeel\u201d of the organization as a whole.<\/p>\n
Last week I met with a client over lunch and we were catching up on our personal lives. We both shared some difficult situations that we have been facing the last few months.\u00a0 We could empathize with each other\u2019s circumstances and relate.\u00a0 My client reflected back on how the situation they have been dealing with in their personal life impacted their ability to communicate, collaborate and feel engaged at work.\u00a0 No matter who we are, our emotional lives impact our ability to perform. We are only human and we can\u2019t always separate feelings from function.<\/p>\n
An organization\u2019s emotional culture doesn\u2019t just impact the people who wok there. It also affects how prospective talent views it. Many employees, especially Millennials, want to work for an organization where they feel valued. If they don\u2019t feel positive emotions in the workplace, they are likely to search for another organization where it will be a better fit. Not only does this mean your organization could lose current talent, but it will affect your reputation in the market place as well. You don\u2019t want to be known as a place where everyone is miserable and burnt out. This will make it a lot harder for you to attract the top talent you want and need.<\/p>\n
Organizations that understand and recognize that employees\u2019 emotions are important and can positively or negatively impact performance, tend to have strong organizational cultures, which translates into higher levels of business success.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important for leaders to remember that all employees, including themselves, bring their emotional \u201cbaggage\u201d to work. World events, people\u2019s personal lives, and several other external factors affect the emotions of your team members in addition to workplace situations.<\/p>\n
Modern technology can make conveying emotions difficult. Tone is often tough to discern through an email or a text message. More often than not, this results in different people interpreting the same message in very different ways. In today\u2019s fast-paced work environment, where more and more communication is done through text, the absence of tone and body language makes it increasingly difficult to gauge someone\u2019s emotions.<\/p>\n
For example, if someone asks a senior colleague a question by text and their reply is \u201cDidn\u2019t I teach you this? Let\u2019s have a call at 3pm to discuss,\u201d the colleague may perceive their response (\u201cOh, I must not have explained myself well before. Let\u2019s talk to clarify\u201d) or negatively (\u201cI\u2019ve already been over this with you. Did you forget? I guess I need to explain it again.\u201d) How the message is interpreted will affect the emotions of the person receiving the message.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why it\u2019s important that leaders give team members various opportunities to speak to each other verbally rather than just through written communication. This can include phone calls, collaborate tools, in person meetings, video chats, etc. When two people have communicated frequently with words, they\u2019re less likely to misinterpret the tone of a text message in the future because they can anticipate the other person\u2019s meaning. This doesn\u2019t mean that we don\u2019t need to spend time clarifying message or ensure understanding, because we do. But it means that trust has been created and we can more easily interpret, understand or clarify any misunderstandings.<\/p>\n
At first glance, it seems like it would be very difficult (if not impossible) to measure and track the emotional culture of an organization. After all, emotions can change quickly and they might be different for each person. However, emotional intelligence is a key skill for leaders to possess. This means knowing that emotions affect how people act and think, and identifying how this affects their interactions with others, becomes a critical people leadership skill.<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t mandate that people feel a certain way. Think about any time you\u2019ve ever told a friend to \u201csmile\u201d or \u201ccheer up.\u201d Did that work? It likely didn\u2019t. Emotions aren\u2019t something that we can flip on and off with ease. However, this doesn\u2019t mean that leaders can\u2019t take steps to shape an organization\u2019s emotional culture.<\/p>\n
Leaders should sit down and have conversations with team members on a regular basis about how they are feeling, what\u2019s going on in their lives and how positive or negative emotions have impacted their performance. This will build trust and open dialogue. It lets employees know that their emotions are respected and that they are valued. It\u2019s also important that the organization gives team members opportunities to provide feedback on how workplace situations make them feel. This can by done through meetings, surveys, suggestion boxes, etc.\u00a0 This is often done after an organization lays off employees. \u00a0The remaining colleagues are engaged in dialogue to help them process any hurt, anger or sadness they feel.\u00a0 The challenge is that most organizations don\u2019t create a strong emotional culture on an on-going basis.\u00a0 Don\u2019t wait for \u201ccrisis mode\u201d before you build a strong emotional foundation for employees.<\/p>\n
Leaders should always remember that emotions are \u201ccontagious\u201d and an organization\u2019s emotional culture starts at the top. If leaders are regularly happy, energetic, and positive, the rest of the team will likely follow. However, if leaders are angry and give off negative emotions, these feelings will move throughout the organization as well.\u00a0 I have seen this far too many times in teams I have led or client groups I have supported.\u00a0 Once the culture of the leadership changes, it can have disastrous effects on the emotional well-being of team members.<\/p>\n
Brainstorm ways that your leaders, and the organization as a whole, can acknowledge employees\u2019 emotions, can support employees, and can leverage the positive energy and minimize the impact of negative emotions. By investing time in understanding the \u201cemotional vibe\u201d of your workplace on a regular basis, you will be able to better support your team members and ensure the emotional culture of the organization is positive and attractive to all employees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why It\u2019s Important to Care About Emotions Emotions are a big part of the decision-making process. While we all may like to believe that we always act rationally, that we only consider the facts, and that we don\u2019t let our … Continue reading