Three techniques people can use to deal effectively with their emotions
Dealing effectively with emotions is a key leadership skill. And naming our emotions — what psychologists call labelling — is an important first step in dealing with them effectively. But it’s harder than it sounds. Here are three ways to get a more accurate and precise sense of your emotions: 1. Broaden your emotional vocabulary. Words matter. If you’re experiencing a strong emotion, take a moment to consider what to call it. But don’t stop there: Once you’ve identified it, try to come up with two more words that describe how you are feeling. You might be surprised to find a deeper emotion buried beneath the more obvious one. It’s equally important to do this with "positive" emotions as well as "negative" ones. 2. Consider the intensity of the emotion. We’re apt to leap to basic descriptors like "angry" or "stressed" even when our feelings are far less extreme. It matters in your own self-assessment whether you are angry or just grumpy, mournful or just dismayed, elated or just ple...
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