How to...handle your emotions at work
This one is for anyone who's ever been told they're "too emotional"
One of the most common challenges my clients present to me when they start doing leadership coaching is this one…
“I’ve been told I’m too emotional to be a credible leader. (And I cry at work sometimes.)”
And I can relate.
For years in my corporate career (as a Director of Communications), this was the type of feedback I used to get. And it really got to me. Because here’s the thing…
I KNEW this was true about me. And yet I didn’t or couldn’t understand how to STOP IT. And I thought that was the solution. Stopping myself from being who I really was, in order to conform to someone else’s idea of what a “credible leader” is.
Today I’m sharing the journey I went on in relating to myself as a leader second and human being first. It’s what prompted my own coaching journey and I hope it helps you too, if you’re in the same boat.
But first!
A quick reminder that if you too work in the field of corporate communications, then I have created a group coaching programme tailored to your needs as an emerging or new leader. Join now to access the special Early bird rate which gets you a discount on course fees and more.
Here’s the link to find out more and sign up (we start on April 29th): Join The Confident Communications Leader.
Now to today’s coaching advice.
What to do when you get told you’re “too emotional” to lead well
Let’s get one thing out of the way upfront. Emotions are part of leadership. They’re not something to be erased. We’re not robots (yet!)
The real challenge isn’t about being “too emotional”, but about understanding the role emotions play in how you lead, and ensuring they serve you as a leader.
The power of self-awareness
As a new leader, I often came up against my own tidal wave of emotions. People could see exactly how I was feeling by the look on my face, and my emotions often went unchecked by me in the way I dealt with and related to other people.
So when I was offered leadership coaching as part of my development (and because my supportive line manager had noticed this was hindering my leadership potential), this was one of the first things I had to confront about myself.
If you want to lead well, you need to understand yourself first. And that’s why coaching is such a powerful tool, as it is rooted in self reflection, leading to self awareness.
In reality, this means: