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Emotions @Work
Faith Ralston$27.95 (Hardcover)
Why Not Spend Your Time at Work Productively?
Emotions@Work is a useful compass to guide managers through the unknown and sometimes volatile territory of organizational politics and human emotions. This book is just what leaders need to enhance communication and teamwork. They will benefit greatly from Dr. Ralston's insights and exercises.
In the cool, logic-driven world of business, our emotions are better kept private . . . right? "Not so," says Faith Ralston, author of Emotions@Work. Like it or not, human feelings are present in all of us and affect the success of every job, work group and organization. Yet too often we try to stifle feelings. We are silent when we need to talk, "closed" when we need to cooperate and fearful when we need to trust.
You don't have to waste time dealing with hidden agendas, conflicts, mistrust and emotional upheavals. You can get more done and enjoy your work. This book is your complete guide to resolving conflicts and building positive relationships with peers, bosses and co-workers.
Ten Business Realities and Success Actions
Business Reality #1: We can no longer
succeed in business without taking down the walls between us.
Success Action: Stop corporate craziness to get better results. (Chapter 1)
Business Reality #2: Emotions impact how we feel,
what we do and whether we're successful at work.
Success Action: Harness emotional energy to improve business performance. (Chapter 2)
Business Reality #3: What bothers us the most are
the things we don't talk about.
Success Action: Learn facts about feelings to positively affect the bottom line. (Chapter 3)
Business Reality #4: Conflicts and resentments
thwart good business performance.
Success Action: Defuse hot buttons to reduce conflicts at work. (Chapter 4)
Business Reality #5: Up to fifty percent of time in an
organization is wasted due to mistrust.
Success Action: Address hidden dynamics to improve business decisions. (Chapter 5)
Business Reality #6: Seventy percent of employees
are afraid to speak up for fear of negative repercussions.
Success Action: Drive out fear to promote exceptional communication. (Chapter 6)
Business Reality #7: Current work requires radically
different behaviors than imprints from the past.
Success Action: Adopt new leadership roles to meet changing work requirements. (Chapter 7)
Business Reality #8: The majority of employees who
quit their job are actually quitting their manager.
Success Action: Develop mutual respect to strengthen supervisory relationships. (Chapter 8)
Business Reality #9: We contribute more when we
love what we're doing.
Success Action: Leverage individual talents to deliver higher value. (Chapter 9)
Business Reality #10: Bottled-up concerns drain
vital energy away from key initiatives.
Success Action: Initiate candid conversations to implement change faster. (Chapter 10)
Why I Wrote This book?
In my role as a business consultant and psychologist, I am privy to feelings and concerns that are not openly expressed in the work setting. Managers and employees share their fears about pending changes, mistrust of peers, concern about job security and conflict with bosses and employees.
After twelve years of working in the areas of quality and organizational change, I became discouraged. I saw managers undermine each other's efforts, employees suppress their opinions and worthwhile projects fail as hidden agendas and ego needs sabotaged their success. From this place of frustration, the ideas and concepts in this book were born.
My purpose in writing this book is to get to the heart of the problems we all experience some time at work. I address the unspoken dynamics that keep us silent when we need to talk, "closed" when we need to cooperate and fearful when we need to trust. You will learn how honest feelings and opinions are an untapped resource that can contribute to your business success.
Specifically, you will discover the unwritten contract that governs employment relationships, the impact of fear on business decisions and how hidden agendas work against ideal solutions. The eight principles of emotions will help you address specific work issues such as career dilemmas, negative work environments, problems with employees and succeeding with change. The "new" role of the manager is defined and action steps are provided to help you resolve conflicts, develop trust and facilitate better communication.
This is not a sit-on-the-shelf book but rather one that is meant to be used. Each chapter includes important ideas, principles, case examples and ways to encourage implementation. My hope is that you will enhance your ability to welcome the expression of honest feelings, recognize and reward individual worth and see their direct link to business performance. The benefit of these ideas- in-action is people who fully contribute their talents and organizations that prosper.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my father,
who was a minister,
and to my dad, who was a man;
and to my mother, whose playful spirit
lives in my soul.