10 Tips To Cope With Negative Emotions
At Work
It's a fact of life - if you want to succeed in business, you
need to know how to interact and communicate effectively with
your employees, business partners, vendors, prospects, and customers.
As a small business owner, this might involve rapid shifting
from one type of language to another. For example, how you'd
explain your expectations to your employees might be different
than how you'd convey these to your business partner or potential
client.
As we all know, sometimes language breaks down, and communication
grinds to a halt. This can leave the owner feeling irritable,
angry, frustrated... and with a desire to vent to his/her employees
or staff.
While there may be instances that such sharing would be appropriate
or helpful, there are many instances where this is not the case,
and venting anyway may result in a significant loss of credibility
and respect from key employees and contacts.
So, what are some effective ways to manage emotions in the work
place environment?
1. Good self-care is the best medicine. An employer who tends
to his/her own physical, emotional and mental needs, regularly,
is going to be more adept at managing negative or hostile emotions
at work. Start with adequate sleep, good nutrition, and regular
exercise.
2. Know what anger and frustration feels like to you - both
in your head and in your body. Sometimes, we can get really "cut
off" from our feelings and act rashly without knowing why.
Spend some time knowing what anger feels like to you, and where
you notice it in your body.
3. Take a 10-minute walk. When you desire to "vent",
excuse yourself from the office and take a brisk 10-minute walk
around the parking lot or neighborhood. This will clear your
mind and may save you from losing your temper.
4. Vent to a mentor, coach, or trusted colleague. The act of
sharing your frustration and fears will calm you down. These
people can support you and help you move forward.
5. Ask, "What am I afraid of?" Most often, anger or
frustration appears when one of our fears has been activated.
By going directly for the source of your feelings, you may be
able to short-circuit them.
6. Make an exhaustive "do not want" list. In this
list, you write down everything you do NOT want in the situation
such as "to look foolish", "to be unprepared",
etc. Once you write this all down - ALL OF IT- you will clear
your mind and be ready to generate productive solutions.
7. Distract yourself. Sometimes, getting your mind off the upsetting
subject is enough to calm you down. Consider closing your door
and playing computer games or something equally mindless (but
absorbing). Shifting your focus will shift your attitude.
8. Ask, "What's working about this situation?" This
tip comes from Kurt Wright's book, "Breaking the Rules",
and suggests that we all can manage stress better if we start
looking at "what's working" rather than "what's
wrong". Many times, communication breakdowns or glitches
can show you where better systems need to be created and placed
and ultimately, will enhance the viability of your organization.
9. Take an action. Sometimes, when one piece of the business
plan isn't moving, it may mean that another part is ready to
be acted upon. Rather than feeling annoyed and frustrated, transform
that energy into positive movement forward, where you can.
10. Make a strong request. If you would like something to be
different, start the process of making it so. Contact key people,
letting them know that you'd like to work on the impasse, and
make your needs and those of your business known. Sometimes,
just communicating about your desires in the form of an appropriate
request can move situations along.
Regular use of these tips will help you stay well balanced & happy
as your business grows and flourishes. Try them and see!
(C) 2003. Dr. Rachna D. Jain. All Rights in All Media Reserved.Dr.
Rachna D. Jain is a sales and marketing coach and Director
of Operations for SalesCoachTraining.com. Sign up for her free
email newsletter, "Sales & Marketing Secrets" at
sams-subscribe@salesandmarketingcoa ch.com. To learn more or
to contact Dr. Jain directly, please visit www.SalesandMarketingCoach.com.
