Learn to control your emotions to become a better manager
Being able to manage emotions doesn't mean eliminating them altogether. We humans are emotional creatures, so we cannot avoid emotions. I believe what we really should and can do is respond to our emotions in a more appropriate and constructive way.
In this article, I want to share some ways that I have used to get better at controlling my emotions. If it works for you, you can try it out and see what works for you.
The first step is to become more aware of emotions.
If it is about to rain, there will often be dark clouds and strong winds, so will our explosive emotions. Before we get angry with someone, our bodies send out their own signals. If we recognize and mitigate these signals in the first place, our anger is unlikely to get any higher. In meetings, for example, I sometimes notice my shoulders stretch for no apparent reason. I gradually realized that my stiff shoulders were a sign of stress. From then on, whenever I have this feeling, I try to relax my shoulders to avoid making everything feel like a string.
However, it is not always possible to immediately identify the emotions we are having. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what's going on. You can now learn to control your emotions by considering alternative explanations.
The process is simple, and involves interpreting the events or behaviors that are causing stress in a more positive way. For example, you are being interrupted by someone in a meeting. Normally we will think that the other person is rude, thoughtless, does not know how to communicate, even disrespectful. This time, think differently, maybe because they're really excited about the idea in question, they're being driven to contribute ideas because in the last meeting you said they need to be more active or They simply do not realize that they have interrupted you.
The point here is not to make excuses for bad behavior like interrupting, but to offer a positive explanation to reduce your emotional response. This means you can respond in a more gentle and appropriate way instead of letting your emotions take over.
Finally, I think it's always a good idea to think about your intentions before reacting in any situation.
In my previous job, I repeatedly chose to let my emotions control my reactions, when I could have been calmer. I know I was loud, but I did it because I felt it was necessary. This made me feel good at the time, but it damaged the relationship and didn't really make the staff happy. So you need to understand your intentions guys!
Do you intend to hurt others or make them feel embarrassed? Or you want to achieve a positive result.
If it's the latter, it's clear that giving a strong response doesn't help. There are more constructive ways to influence or convince people of a better direction. If your intention is to hurt, then it's probably best to avoid the interaction altogether.
Emotions are an important part of the human experience. However, there are limits to the emotions we should show in the workplace and as managers. Instead of being a slave to your emotions, learn to control your emotions to lead to the best results, and every manager can start that journey today.
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