New Managers Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Express Their Emotions

In most organizations, being a good employee means projecting a calm, unflappable demeanor. Sure, keeping a professional game face on can be an asset, but that same carefully-crafted exterior falls flat when, as a leader, you need to build engagement and enthusiasm. As soon as you make the transition to manager, you should harness emotion rather than avoid it. Before important conversations, speeches, or meetings, consider: What is the emotional takeaway I want to impart? It might be excitement, gravity, or fun. If you want others to feel that emotion, then you need to express it. Make an effort to match what you’re saying with the emotions you want to convey. Be careful not to sanitize your language in an effort to make your message more palatable – your message will only end up sounding bland. Instead, pepper your talks with straightforward words that signal the tone you’re trying to set.