How can you recognize and respond to your team members' emotional needs?

You can't underemphasize the importance of simply asking someone how they feel or what they think about something. It's better than assuming. Once you hear them phrase the way they are feeling, you have a better starting point for conversation.

Our emotions play an important role in life for helping us live a nourished and valuable life Undoubtedly without fulfilling emotional needs we may feel stressed, frustrated, demotivated and isolated. As a leader it should always be your prime responsibility to fulfill the emotional needs of team members for living consistent performance!

We are emotional beings first, then logical. Feeling comes first, in just about everything. After the emotion hits, then we analyze with our logical mind. Given this, it is important we recognize the emotional environment we create and support. People and teams operate more effectively in positive environments. Even when pressure or stress is added, positive brains perform better than negative or neutral brains.

Recognizing and responding to your team members' emotional needs is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. Enhance your own emotional intelligence by becoming more aware of your own emotions and how they impact others. This will help you better understand and empathize with your team members' emotions.

First - We must be intentional about recognizing emotional needs. Our brains are equipped with mirror-neurons. Their job is to mimic what they see. If we see someone frown, our mirror neurons trigger us to frown (internally) so we can better understand what the other person is feeling. This is why smiling is contagious. Mirror neurons are always working, but to take advantage of them, we must be intentional. If we are distracted by our own tasks, we can ignore the natural signals firing in our brains. Also, ASK! Don't assume you know what other people need. When in doubt, ask. Shoot, even when you are not in doubt, ask and you may be surprised.

Although cues, behaviors, and other signs help us guess what others may be feeling, the best way to care for emotional needs is to verify them with the other person. Every individual has their own idiosyncratic manners of expressing emotions; some may practice more self control or hide their true feelings, others may be more adept in expressing emotions, and some may show signs of an emotion but feel completely different. Some of us are rarely aware of our emotions. To care for emotional needs of each other, emotional literacy of both parties is an essential skill. As the person caring for another, we need to practice listening skills and also self-awareness, to be able to remain objective and understand a someone else’s emotional needs.

Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their emotions and concerns without fear of judgment or repercussion. Encourage open communication and active listening. Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues from your team members that may indicate emotional distress or unmet needs. These could include changes in behavior, body language, or tone of voice.

There is a wonderful scene in Pixar's "Inside Out" which demonstrates how to respond. Sadness sits with Bing Bong when he is sad. She sits, asks questions, and acknowledges his feelings. Joy, on the other hand, plays the role of positive-Polly and completely fails. Joy ignores Bing Bong's feelings. Sadness acknowledges them. Be like Sadness.

Move meetings outside and use walk-and-talk sessions for open discussions. Introduce "no-agenda" coffee breaks to allow for personal interaction. Start meetings with a "mood barometer" for instant insights. Organize creative workshops for emotional expression and establish "fail-party" sessions to create a culture of resilience Implement "digital detox" days to encourage direct communication and offer an anonymous grievance box tool Celebrate personal successes to value the whole person and create a supportive environment

Lead by example. Recognize others when they demonstrate effective behaviors. Coach people who respond in unhelpful ways. The best thing you can do is show your team the right way to act. Model the way.

A helpful perspective for recognizing and responding to your team members' emotional needs, particularly in workplaces not yet embracing this culture, is 'emotional ergonomics'—tailoring interactions for emotional safety and comfort. Embracing 'emotional ergonomics' transforms how we meet team members' needs, shaping interactions for psychological safety and normalizes recognizing and responding to emotional needs. Like adjusting a chair for comfort, we tweak communication and spaces to reduce stress and boost wellbeing. This trauma informed approach benefits everyone, enhancing team unity, mental wellness, and workplace harmony. A supportive emotional environment is key to team cohesion and productivity.

I believe creating a culture where openness, vulnerability and emotions are accepted and not frowned upon is essential. As a leader or manager, you play the most important role by being open-minded, showing empathy and leading by example. A culture of trust is vital. And the ability to listen to your people and hear what they are saying will make your team and results thrive. For example, I've been bored at some jobs and have expressed that boredom using words such as 'I could handle some more work', 'I'd like a new challenge',... These are clear cues, but if the answer is 'You want too much too soon.' I don't feel heard. And you won't have my allegiance. The opposite happens when immediate action is taken.