Cracking Open the Conversation: Emotional Labor in General Management
Let's spice things up already - How many general managers out there felt like burning the midnight oil, and sometimes the 2 a.m. oil too, to keep the team afloat is exhausting? If you just said, "Aye Captain!", then join the club, because managing has always been about more than just strategy and numbers. It's also about juggling, and I don't mean the circus juggling (who am I kidding? It's a circus). It's the juggling of emotions, the unseen side of management, termed as 'Emotional Labor'.
The Unseen Acrobatics: What is Emotional Labor?
Strike a pose and brace for the bomb - Emotional labor is the effort a manager puts into managing and regulating both their and their team's emotions in favor of organizational goals. In other words, it's the unsaid script of sounding cheerful to a grumpy customer or keeping your cool when a team member doesn’t deliver. It's a performance, and every general manager is an artist, whether they acknowledge it or not.
But Why Should We Care?
Here's a whammy - According to a report by the Workforce Institute, ignoring emotional labor can lead to poor productivity and high employee turnover. So, addressing emotional labor is not just about 'feelings'; it's a tangible factor affecting the overall success of an organization.
Wading the Sea: Identifying and Managing Emotional Labor
Emotional labor starts with identification. Managers often express physical exhaustion, but rarely voice emotional fatigue. Acknowledging that managing a team’s emotional dynamics can be draining is the first step.
Next, comes finding your "emotional style", a term coined by the ever famous Daniel Goleman. This emotional style defines how you express and control emotions. Identifying this can help you find effective managing strategies and which part of the circus juggling needs more attention.
Finding support is Vital
A manager is a part of the team. Just like we take care of our team, we need ways to replenish our emotional reserves. This could even be squeezing in time for meditation or joining a support group of managers who experience similar challenges.
In a manager's world, there is always the next fire to put out. But remember, the fire within is as important as the fire outside. It’s okay to pause, recharge and acknowledge this incredible skill we bring to our roles. Because behind every successful manager, there is a ton of unseen emotional labor. And today, we just brought it a little bit into the limelight.
References:
1. Workforce Institute, Hidden in the Spotlight: Bringing Emotional Labor Out of the Shadows, https://workforceinstitute.org/emotional-labor/
2. Goleman, D. (2001). An EI-based theory of performance. The emotionally intelligent workplace, 27, 34.
