Shared Emotions
Everyone has found themselves in the uncomfortable situation of not being able to watch a scene in a movie because he feels what could be called “shared shame”, or felt anger with an infraction not charged in a game of our favorite sport (more than anything when you are in the stands) or sadness in a dramatic moment while watching a movie at the cinema. Many laugh at bad jokes simply because they hear laughter in the background of a comedy show.
Believe it or not, there is a logical explanation called mirror neurons.
It has been proven the existence of what is called a social brain, a thing that mainly distinguishes the human being and it comes what is known as the mirror neurons, which form a connection between brains where the person with the most emotional expressiveness will be the one transmitting their emotions to the other.
Due to this furtive channel of communication, in each and every one of our social interactions exists an emotional subtext that enormously determines everything else. Many messages are interpreted differently either positively or negatively depending on how we are feeling when we interact. This emotional contagion occurs from one person to another automatically, instantaneously and unconsciously, escaping our control. Otherwise, why do the silences become uncomfortable? Without realizing it, we are transmitting that we honestly do not want to be in that place.
We constantly influence the mental and emotional state of others. This highlights the importance of the managing our emotions as they end up being responsible for the impact on those of others.
It is for this same reason that we classify some people as "toxic", since we subconsciously understand this and we know that talking to them will affect our mood, or as when a baby smiles we can’t help but smiling with him. This element highlights the charismatic people, who have a developed their emotional intelligence and are able to effectively transmit their emotions to empower the people around them with positive energy.
In turn, if we can notice these particular changes that influence others, the place where we work has an even greater impact. If we work in an environment where the energy and negative emotions are constantly around, at the end of the day you will return home with these accumulated emotions and then share them with your loved ones, meaning a harmful impact that we transmit to our family.
If we do not change this work environment, management will notice an increase in work absenteeism, stress without reason, demotivation and depression. Who wants to go to a place where they know that negative emotions will be transmitted? A place that will indirectly affect the people they care about? So, what can a company do to remedy this?
When one develops their emotional intelligence, they go through the first two stages which consist in recognizing emotions and appropriately managing them. If people know what they are feeling, they will be able to understand what they are transmitting to others, making it possible not only to convey what they are thinking in a more effective way, but also exercising positive control over the work environment enhancing their relationships and results. In turn, they will be able to understand more easily how others are feeling, preventing certain problems from escalating to magnitudes that won’t be solved without a heavy investment of personnel, time and money.
Aiming to create a balanced work environment for employees is crucial not only to achieve results, but for their continuity and prosperity. If we create a space where stress is constantly felt, people will achieve their goals but, as everyone has noticed, constant stress wears out and depresses the collaborators, causing absenteeism and in the end to the resignation of them.
This does not mean that you have to promote a space where everything is joy and happiness, since that would mean repressing other feelings. It is okay for people to feel frustrated and repressed by certain situations. If they are told to smile at all times, they will only be encouraged to spread rumors or people to talk on the backs of others, affecting the whole team dynamics and confidence.
What is advised is to create structures of dialogue that are comfortable and without prejudice. Coffee break spaces where you can talk about anything, whether it is about work or personal.
An assertiveness communication policy is often the main tool to solve many problems and avoid the accumulation of negative emotions, since a great majority of labor problems originate with a lack of effective communication.
And you? How do you feel about your company's environment? What things are you doing to create a good environment and share positive emotions?
