For decades there were very few emotions that were o.k. to show in the workplace. Feeling, and God forbid, showing any feelings outside of those norms was seen as weak and unprofessional. Except emotions are a lot more than something to tuck away, they are barometers. They live in the body and express in the mind, so they are indicators of when we are in alignment with our goals, our purpose and getting fed what we need to thrive.
With the burgeoning awareness of the importance of emotional and social intelligence in the workplace, there has been a gradual shift to place value on productive expression of emotion. For instance, expressing how team members feel about a project has become an important piece in assessing its progress. If there is no energy for meeting a deadline, why is that? Maybe the vision was not articulated fully so the project feels vague and devoid of the point of doing it. Or maybe it’s a project that is perceived to have little merit, so why do we want to make any investment? Being able to read yourself and read your group is a key skill towards bringing these indicators onto the table.
So the next time you are in a meeting, take a few seconds to look at the body language around the room. Then check in to see if what you are picking up is accurate. For example, noting the glazed looks in people’s eyes may be helped by asking, “People look confused, do we need further clarification or are people feeling overwhelmed?” Taking moments like this can be an effective way to shift an unproductive meeting into something worthwhile, especially with the discussion it might create.