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    Angry Express It

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    Carolina Lenis
    This document discusses how expressing anger can be beneficial for leaders when done constructively. It argues that great leaders are authentic and don't hide negative emotions. The document provides tips for harnessing anger in a controlled way such as focusing on actions not people, and starting by expressing lower levels of irritation before getting to anger.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Angry Express It

    Uploaded by

    Carolina Lenis
    27 views3 pages
    This document discusses how expressing anger can be beneficial for leaders when done constructively. It argues that great leaders are authentic and don't hide negative emotions. The document provides tips for harnessing anger in a controlled way such as focusing on actions not people, and starting by expressing lower levels of irritation before getting to anger.

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    Angry Express It

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    This document discusses how expressing anger can be beneficial for leaders when done constructively. It argues that great leaders are authentic and don't hide negative emotions. The document provides tips for harnessing anger in a controlled way such as focusing on actions not people, and starting by expressing lower levels of irritation before getting to anger.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    27 views3 pages

    Angry Express It

    Uploaded by

    Carolina Lenis
    This document discusses how expressing anger can be beneficial for leaders when done constructively. It argues that great leaders are authentic and don't hide negative emotions. The document provides tips for harnessing anger in a controlled way such as focusing on actions not people, and starting by expressing lower levels of irritation before getting to anger.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    Angry? Express It!

    Why great leaders are not afraid to show a little anger


    By Jeff Haden

    Think about remarkably successful people. They’re logical. Foster, emotional intelligence experts and authors of Step Up:
    They’re rational. In the face of crisis or danger or even gross Lead in Six Moments That Matter, the highest performing people
    incompetence, they remain steely-eyed, focused, and on point. -- and highest performing teams -- tap into and express their
    They don’t get angry -- or at the very least they don’t show their entire spectrum of emotions.
    anger. Which, when you think about it, makes sense: We all get angry
    Unless they happen to be Steve Jobs. Or Jeff Bezos. Or Bill (even this guy must get angry once in a while) so why not take
    Gates. Or Larry Ellison. Or.. Most of us were taught that the advantage of that emotion?
    only way to lead effectively is to eliminate, or at the very least Evans and Foster say anger is actually useful when harnessed and
    swallow and hide, emotions like anger and frustration. Go pro- controlled because it fosters two useful behavioral capabilities.
    fessional or go home, right? Anger creates focus. Get mad and you tend to focus on one
    Wrong. thing -- the source of your anger. You don’t get distracted. You’re
    According to research conducted by Henry Evans and Colm not tempted to multitask. All you can see is what’s in front of

    leadership excellence essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2015 Submit your Articles 27


    Angry? Express It!

    you. That degree of focus can be extremely powerful. Then you can move up to the next level, expressing frustration.
    Anger generates confidence. Get mad and the automatic rush As you do, stay focused on how you feel. Ask yourself whether
    of adrenaline heightens your senses and reduces your inhibitions. you’re using your frustration as a weapon or as a tool.
    Anger -- in small, controlled doses -- can be the spark that gets Then move up to the final level, expressing anger. Again, step
    you started. outside yourself as you do. Are you in charge of your anger and
    But there’s still one major problem with getting mad: It’s easy to actions, or is anger in charge of you?
    say and do things you later regret. That’s why the key to harness- In time, as you learn to control and harness your feelings,
    ing anger is to find a way to stay smart and in control while you you will be able to get well and truly pissed off and still handle
    are angry. yourself in an appropriate and productive way.
    Anger is Authentic -- and So Are Great Leaders
    Great leaders are genuine and authentic. That’s why we follow

    “ Most people hold on to feelings of anger too long.


    them.
    Want to be a great leader? Stop trying to hide negative emo-
    tions. (Besides, the chances you can successfully hide how you’re
    Their feelings build and build until they can no longer feeling are slim. You may be angry and think you’re hiding it...
    control themselves and then they explode. Totally but you’re not. Your employees know.) So don’t pretend. Express
    the way you feel, but in a controlled and harnessed way.
    losing your cool is counterproductive at best and “As we say to our clients,” write Foster and Evans, “don’t
    incredibly damaging at worst. pretend. Be upset, but be intelligent while you’re upset.” That
    way you sustain your professional relationships as you work
    through challenges. That way you can be your authentic self
    -- in a higher state of being.
    Sound impossible? It’s not. Here are two examples: Say you lose a major contract to a competitor you and your team
    1. Get mad about an action, not a person. Say an employee didn’t take seriously. Don’t be afraid, in the months that follow,
    makes a mistake. Venting by saying, “How could you be so to bring your team back to that moment. If you’re frustrated with
    stupid?” may make you feel better --for about 10 seconds -- but your team’s current performance don›t be afraid to say, “Let’s
    it certainly won’t help. Instead try saying, “You do a great job... think back to that day. Remember what happened when those
    but I’m really struggling to understand why you did (that). Can [jerks] took that contract. Remember how we all felt. Remem-
    we talk about it?” Directing your frustration at the action and ber the letter they wrote us canceling our contract. Every time
    not the employee helps reduce his or her feelings of defensive- I read it, I get mad. So let’s make sure it never happens again.’
    ness while still allowing you to express your frustration--which Expressing your feelings not only helps you stay focused, it can
    will help you both focus on solving the problem. help your team stay focused -- and serve as a powerful reminder
    2. Use anger to overcome anxiety or fear. When we’re nervous that sometimes business cannot not be business as usual.
    or scared we often later regret what we did not say. Now it’s your turn: Do you think showing a little frustration or
    Say you’re mad because a supplier didn’t come through, but even anger can actually be positive? LE
    you›re afraid to say anything for fear of damaging a long-term This article was originally posted on LinkedIn
    business relationship. Don’t hide from your fear or your anger.
    Accept that you’re mad. Show, at least to a limited degree, that Jeff Haden is a ghostwriter, speaker, LinkedIn Influencer, and contributing
    editor for Inc. He learned much of what he knows about business and tech-
    you’re mad. nology working his way up to managing a 250-employee book plant; every-
    When you do, the rush of adrenaline will help move you out thing else he picks up as a ghostwriter for innovators and business leaders. He’s
    written more than 50 nonfiction books, including six Amazon Business and In-
    of the fear zone and into the sweet spot where you›re excited and vesting No. 1’s, along with hundreds of articles and reports. And he’s collected
    passionate and motivated -- but not unreasonable or irrational. four years of tips and advice in his book TransForm: Dramatically Improve Your
    Career, Business, Relationships, and Life … One Simple Step at a Time.
    Just Make Sure You Start Small Email [email protected]
    Most people hold on to feelings of anger too long. Their feelings Follow @jeff_haden
    build and build until they can no longer control themselves and
    then they explode. Totally losing your cool is counterproductive
    at best and incredibly damaging at worst. The key is to slowly and
    steadily allow yourself to express lower levels of anger, working
    up from irritation, then to frustration, then finally to anger.
    Step one: When you feel irritated, don’t swallow those feel-
    ings. Think about how you feel. Think about why you feel the
    way you feel. Then work with how you feel. Say what you need
    to say, letting a little of your irritation show through. You won’t
    have to worry about losing your cool because, after all, you aren’t
    angry -- you’re just irritated.

    28 Submit your Articles leadership excellence essentials presented by HR.com | 01.2015


    Copyright of Leadership Excellence is the property of HR.com, Inc. and its content may not
    be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's
    express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for
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