How to embrace emotions at work | The Way We Work, a TED series

"You can't just flip a switch when you step into the office and turn your emotions off. Feeling feelings is part of being human," says author and illustrator Liz Fosslien. She shares why selective vulnerability is the key to bringing your authentic self to work.

The Way We Work is a TED original video series where leaders and thinkers offer practical wisdom and insight into how we can adapt and thrive amid changing workplace conventions.

[erockfreedom]

This is great, in and out of the workplace. Recovering "oversharer." As someone who is looking for new work, perhaps in a new field, I find this very valuable. Clear, concise, solutions oriented communication, delivered after introspection into a situation is invaluable. Thank you.

[instavid]

People are often quick to notice what’s wrong, but it’s equally important to pay attention to and provide input on what is working to support development.

[RossCampoli]

Emotional or not, authenticity is paramount when you’re trying to make meaningful connections with people. Inside the office or out!

[johndoh]

Omg that diagram is so perfect to illustrate an interpersonal relationship!!!

[vrapbrap]

Good thing about nursing is that most people ride the neutral line. Cold, but not too cold. Not personal but not uncaring.
It's the best way to work as a team. You focus on the tasks at hand and efficiently get through the day. There is no time to unpack feelings or talk about your personal life. If there is, you are probably not doing your job.

You don't get involved with your colleagues too much to avoid the classic situations of talking about work in your offtime like this.

No nurse that I know wants to talk about work but we only see each other as nurses and not as people so if we bump into one another. It's work mode all over again.

Same with the civilians we meet at work. They will see you only as a nurse even in your offtime. You carry your job wherever you go, want it or not. So you really gotta keep everyone at arms length.

This is one of the reasons why nurses can feel so cold and uncaring. It's not that they don't care. It just does them more harm than good to show those feelings. Pity never helps anyone, knowing the person in care skews your view and so on.

[JoyPeace]

Respect the space of those of us who aren't overly emotional.

[gigachad-gxvu]

Why doesn't Ted ever come to the talk?

[mxlm]

These snippets are more effective than watching a long winded speech where you may fall asleep. This is more straight to the point.

[bestbuy]

Great video TED. I think it was very important information .

[cosmicshen]

how do you deal with a boss who uses you to get an employee jealous. how do you deal with them causing so much drama at work to make them feel better.

[jorleenjoyfeliciano]

Nice video presentation!
Can I please know the music background for this video? Thank you!

[RiteshPatel_]

It's always better as if we separate people's issue from the work issue.

[sawilliams]

Is there a TED talk about working at work?

[BIBLE-a-s-m-r]

I did a reading about my emotional needs at work, is it appropriate to be myself at work… etc

And I looked up “meeting emotional needs at work”

I can’t find ANYTHING

[philippemeda]

With the original ideas that you will find « echoed » here were:
We live in two worlds, personal and professional, with the misconception that we have to leave our emotions in a locker outside the office door;
We wear a professional mask at the office and fear to show any vulnerability or expression of emotions;
We are humans at work and sharing emotions is beneficial for driving change, solving conflicts and communicating;
Self-awareness and empathy are key;
We “don’t kill the emotional dragon but tame it” by channeling our emotions rather than letting them run crazy;
“Emotions Augmented Managers” can lead the way showing the use of emotions at work;
Final advice: start small with simply sharing authentically about your weekend, your worry about a project, or asking for help.
I’m not sure that Pablo Picasso really said « Good artists copy; great artists steal » but I would have put a bit more effort to produce original content for a TED😓

[unconnected]

Go out and read Brene Brown, she has books about all of this and a lot of this content seems to be paraphrased from those books

[anacardoso]

"Feeling feelings is part of being human".

[mrmike]

I always tried to push back meetings until they were forgotten.

[ornithoptermum]

oh great, so now you’re telling me when and what to feel? that makes me feel like quoting RATM.

[joshy_j_]

Feel an appropriate amount of emotion at work. But no complicated or difficult emotions. Negative emotions limited to 1 minute of expression. NOW BACK TO YOUR DESKS