Did you know emotional reactions are contagious? Psychologists describe how emotions, such as anxiety and fear, can spread rapidly from one person to another, often “infecting” an entire group.
As these emotional “viruses” multiply in the workplace, they harm mental health and the creativity and productivity of the organization. And what’s more, leaders in the workplace tend to transmit emotional viruses to a greater extent than others.
Uncertainty is intensifying. As anxiety and fear escalate, you may wonder how you can help stop the spread.
Afterall, you are a leader with purpose. You want to serve your team. And you know you can have a significant impact on how far and deep these contagious emotions will reach.
You want to contribute to a culture that promotes resilience. Therefore, you begin to consider how you might help reduce the stress and anxiety spreading across your team.
As you plan your helping strategy, take care to avoid a few common mistakes. These pratfalls can doom your efforts, no matter how good your intentions.
Mistake 1: Failing to Handle Your Own Fears First
Regardless of your title or position, you are not immune from experiencing negative emotions resulting from raging uncertainty and ambiguity. Face the facts. You don’t know what to expect over the next few months.
Will you work at home or in the office? Will your children go to school or remain at home? What will happen to the economy over the next few months?
Beware of worst-case thinking.
You know the scenario. You become hyper-focused on how your current circumstances can lead to negative, if not catastrophic, outcomes. You believe you can’t cope, and you become panicky.
The all-too-common vicious cycle will only worsen unless you catch it early.
You are susceptible to the same fears and anxieties as others on your team. And you cannot succeed in helping team members until you address your own challenges.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Symptoms of Spiraling Anxiety
Once you handle your emotional state, you can help others on your team. Recognize the symptoms signaling the team member needs assistance.
- First, take note of the physical signs of stress and anxiety, such as the constantly furrowed brow or clenched fists or teeth.
- Behaviors such as a lack of engagement in conversations and meetings or a drop in productivity may also indicate distress.
- Notice if team members who tend to be funny lose their sense of humor.
- Attend to frequent expressions of cynicism and despair.
- Watch for an apparent inability to concentrate.
You can be most helpful in the earliest stages of anxiety-related emotional contagion. Look for the signs.
Mistake 3: Attempting to Fix Their Problems
While offering advice may tempt you, resist the urge. Your colleagues don’t necessarily want or need you to fix their problems.
Instead of suggesting what you think they should do, observe their cues. And ask questions to help them develop their personal ways of coping.
For example, you might say something like the following, “John, you seem discouraged. How are you feeling about your work these days?”
Listen carefully to their answers and support them.
For example, suppose John says something like this, “Yes, I’m feeling terrible right now. I’m restless, and I can’t concentrate.”
Rather than suggesting he meditate or take time off, first acknowledge his feelings. And follow-up with questions that will help him tap into his strengths.
You could say something like, “I understand. Life and work are challenging right now.”
Then follow up by asking whether he has faced these feelings before and how he coped in the past.
The point is to help him reflect on his successful management of previous difficulties. He may realize that the strengths that supported him can also pull him through these troubling times.
Mistake 4: Devaluing or Dismissing the Worries
The worst mistake you can make is to diminish or fail to recognize the validity of the team member’s feelings.
Never say words like these, “John, cheer up. Life isn’t so bad right now.” Or “I think you are overreacting.”
Likewise, do not skip over the emotions by jumping to your personal feelings and experiences.
For example, avoid words like the foll0wing, “John, I know what you mean. I have some major challenges myself right now. Let me tell you about my problems.”
Do not underestimate your ability to intervene when anxiety overruns your colleagues or your team. As you plan your course of action, remember how easy it is to fall into the bad habits of would-be helpers.
Work on your self-awareness. By developing insight into how you tend to interact with others who are distressed, you can avoid common mistakes. And you can provide excellent service to your colleagues, your team, and your organization by intervening in the spread of anxiety and fear.