Psychological Safety in Practice: A Guidebook for Managers
a
guidebook
by
CEO
Health
+
Safety
Leadership
Network
8
Manage Emotions
Emotional regulation is the act of observing and evaluating the quality of thoughts
and emotions. You will naturally experience several emotions as the leader of a team.
The key is to learn to manage them so that you don't erode trust or diminish team
members' feelings of safety and inclusion.
When you feel strong emotions:
Recognize and identify the emotion: e.g. I feel angry, afraid, sad, frustrated
Don't dismiss or supress what you're feeling, but ask yourself:
Is this thought/emotion coming from me? Do I believe this? Do I want to feel this way?
Is this a part of my conditioning to think or feel this way?
Taking time to step back and think about what you're feeling can be an effective tool
for managing emotions in difficult moments.
Build Healthy Connections
Helping employees feel a greater sense of connection can have a direct impact
on mental well-being, engagement, retention, productivity, and performance.
Feeling intense loneliness or isolation can make it difficult to regulate emotions.
In this state, we can perceive others as critical and unwelcoming, and misread
intentions. In fact, loneliness can be as detrimental to our well-being as heart disease.
To avoid this risk:
Be aware – An employee may seem fine but be experiencing intense feelings of
loneliness and isolation. If left unresolved, this can negatively affect their experience
in the workplace, as well as their overall health. Watch for cues from your team members.
Be open – Talk openly about the importance of social connections to break down fear
and stigma around feelings of loneliness and increase the chance that employees seek
assistance if needed.
Create a social connection strategy – This takes the burden off the individual to figure
out how to forge meaningful connections. It might include regular check-ins and/or
mentor or buddy programs. Involve your team in the design of the strategy to ensure
it is realistic and they are invested in the outcome.
