Loud Thinking October 28, 2013 at 01:31PM
Good Leaders Get to Know Their Emotions
Being too emotional can create problems, but it can be far less of a problem than holding back all of your feelings. You may hide emotions in an attempt to stay in control and look strong, but doing so diminishes your control and weakens your capacity to connect and communicate with others. If you struggle with sharing your true feelings, it might help to know that people often don’t show emotion because they’re not aware of what they’re feeling. You might suppress your anger or temper your excitement without even realizing it. So pay attention to your emotions. At least a couple of times a week, ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” Write it down if you can; keeping a regular journal can help you understand your moods and what changes them. Then let loose a little: Let your emotions out, and let people in. Both are critical to effective leadership.
Adapted by HBR from “Good Leaders Get Emotional,” by Doug Sundheim.