WTF?

Yep, I know ... what's the feeling?

I was talking with an awesome human (who happens to be a friend and Professional L&D Facilitator) recently over coffee about the Hermann (HBDI) whole brain model and the four thinking styles and preferences work. Sometimes within a team or leadership cohort there can be a dominant profile and the impact that this has on the team or organisation.?This got me thinking … what about the feelings and their impact?

Remembering many models (HBDI, Myers Briggs, TMP) are focused on our preferences not our capabilities set in concrete, what if we were equally interested in our feelings and emotions concurrently with our thinking styles?

For me, it has been fascinating to introduce, guide and coach people around the use of the Emotional Culture Deck – talking about what’s the feeling, and actions around feelings and emotions.

Often team leaders, supervisors, managers and fellow team members feel less comfortable to talk about feelings and emotions at work.?The task is to stay on point or on focus and bringing feelings or emotions into the work context can be seen as unnecessary or perhaps unprofessional.?

Often emotions are only seen and considered when there has been an outburst of some type – and at that point there is a response from the team or manager.?Perhaps also some unnecessary awkwardness or conflict and tension boils in the background – and pro-active and meaningful constructive discussions are avoided.

What happened if we got better and stronger and more capable talking about our feelings and emotions with ourselves AND each other? ??(And all of this holds true with families and home lives too!) I think that the answer is in PRACTICE of naming, and sharing, and then if required putting actions in place to change or reinforce that feeling!?It becomes more like the virtuous (rather than vicious cycle) and by naming ‘WTF’ ?(short for – what’s the feeling), it becomes easier, it creates the opportunity and security for others to do the same.

In delivering Emotional Culture Deck workshops or even with one on one coaching discussions, I’ve seen the physical response in the “lightening of the load”, when the emotion or feeling is named and labelled, rather than running around recklessly in your head wrecking havoc! ??

Further to this, during the workshop or team setting and then further into the workplace, this sharing creates a sense of connection and closeness, when individuals realise that they are not alone in how they’re feeling – there is often commonality in emotions being felt.?

The emotional culture deck – has been a great tool for unlocking personal and team conversations with other awesome humans; and in turn beginning to be the change we want to see.

#emotionalculturedeck #ridersandelephants #emotionalculture

More information about Emotional Culture deck The Emotional Culture Deck (ridersandelephants.com) or for a free low resolution pack to give it a go The Emotional Culture Deck PDF Free Download (ridersandelephants.com)

DISCLAIMER – This article/blog represents myself and my views and in no way represents my current company or previous companies I have worked for.