KYOCERA Document Solutions
A reminder that you’re human and that you can use this to be a better manager
I read an excellent article the other day about how the best managers understand their employees’ emotions and their own. Managers set the tone of the workplace. It needn’t be stoic and strict work. It should be the opposite. But the stereotypical “get things done in a rational way” often means that managers lack that emotional nuance and don’t learn the necessary emotional skills.
How does a manager do this? It may seem counter intuitive, but it’s about being vulnerable and admitting to mistakes. You don’t have to overshare, or project your stress onto others, of course. As the article says, “The best leaders are able to hit the pause button when they become emotional, sit with their feelings, and understand where they’re coming from. Instead of taking action immediately, they ask themselves, “What’s behind this emotion”.
Practicing this kind of consciousness is easily done in meetings, where emotions could run high. To nurture individuality, respect and productivity requires making meetings “safe spaces.” This article gives great tips and the one I particularly like is giving permission for people to express themselves fully. “Permission to say or ask anything is priceless. It allows us to fully express ourselves: to seek what we want, to give feedback, to speak up about issues when we find the need.”
KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa is historically rooted in emotional capabilities: Our founder Dr Inamori wrote about fostering a “loving and harmonious heart.” Dr Inamori was results-driven, and “heart” in the workplace produced the necessary business results. We invite you to make use of the resources and blog links in this article to deepen your emotional skillset. We salute your courage to be vulnerable.