Toxic Emotions At Work : How Compassionate Managers Handle Pain And Conflict

In the reading, Encouraging the Heart by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, they seek to explore one of the most indescribable leadership skills of all caring. Caring is said to be an essential skill to be a successful leader, yet one of the most difficult to master. Kouzes & Posner propose that caring leadership is composed of seven essentials: setting clear standards, expecting the best, paying attention, personalizing recognition, telling the story, celebrating together, and setting the example. The book seeks to describe how and why caring leadership works, and goes beyond outlining practices and principles associated with this type of leadership. This book is an inspirational and uplifting blend of theory and principle, true-life stories of caring leadership, and self-reflecting questions.

Emotions of a leader are so important in this aspect of leadership. It is through emotions that the leader will be categorized as ‘toxic’ or

As part of this critical assignment, it is a requirement that I reflect on my own experience as a Leader where I have demonstrated a high level of emotional intelligence, as well use theories to demonstrate my learning’s.

Health providers suffer from an emotional problem called compassion fatigue. Often times compassion fatigue occurs do to the situations encountered by health care professionals and the pain they feel for the patients they care for. One of the essential components of health care is providing care is compassion

Negative organizational climate is something that has become quite of an issue at my workplace. It tends to go in somewhat of a downward spiral – one person will become disgruntled about something and start complaining, this grumbling creates a negative environment, more people become disgruntled and join in, and the cycle continues. Virtuous leadership can help break this cycle of negativity and boost positivity within the organization climate. Even as coworkers, we can display the components of virtuous leadership by focusing on the greater good and portraying trust, integrity, and forgiveness (Kinicki & Fugate, 2012). Essentially, we can be a light to those in our workplace and combat the spreading, negative darkness (Matthew 5:14-16, New International Version).

When choosing to pursue a career in the health care field, most enter the workplace with the desire to help and provide care for patients who are critically ill (Lombardo & Eyre, 2011). Far too often, these health professionals who were once sympathetic and caring become victims of compassion fatigue (Lombardo & Eyre, 2011). As a working health professional it is ones duty to compassionately care for the sick, wounded and traumatized patients, which involves being exposed daily to the patient’s pain, suffering and trauma (Coetzee & Klopper, 2010). Experiencing this type of trauma first hand is an un-recognized side effect of being a health care professional (Briscoe, 2014). It is easy to get wrapped up in patients, their

ARMSTRONG, M. (2011) How to be an even better manager. 8th ed. London: Kognan Page.

Compassion represents an “acknowledgement of another’s suffering and is accompanied by the expression of a desire to ease or end that suffering.” (Van der Cingal, 2009, p. 124) This is a fundamental characteristic usually found in health care workers and nurses especially. In one twelve hour shift, a nurse’s job can change from taking vitals and administering medications to performing life saving measures

summary, a fair amount of research has been conducted on burnout and compassion fatigue. it is important to understand the individual factors that lead to the development of burnout and compassion fatigue. Another purpose is to understand whether or not the experience of STS is limited only to those who have direct contact with individuals who are experiencing trauma symptoms. Additionally, most literature that discusses coping with compassion fatigue focuses on self-care techniques rather than on an effective style of cognitive appraisal. Common assumptions are that effective coping styles for healthcare workers will generalize to the mental health field. The present study also aims to identify a coping profile indicating whether or not a

Counselor impairment can be caused by multiple factors. Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and professional burnout associated with impairment, because it can changes the way the counselor thinks and behaves in maladaptive ways (Newell, Gordon & MacNeil, 2010; Kadambi, 2004). All counselors have a legal and ethically responsibility to prevent this form happening (ACA, 2014; LPC Act, 2014; State of Oklahoma, 2007). Although there is some research on how to identified vicarious trauma, there is still a void cohesive preventive treatment compared to the need (Newell, Gordon & MacNeil, 2010). Professionally, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and professional burnout is high risk for affecting highly trained, previously competent counselors (ACA, 2014; LPC Act, 2014; State of Oklahoma, 2007). This issue should be at a high priority level for counselor, because it can change thinking processes (Newell, Gordon & MacNeil, 2010; Kadambi, 2004). Therefore, it can alter client’s care significantly. However, the counselors have to know the concepts associated with negate impairment and know preventive measures (ACA, 2014; LPC Act, 2014; State of Oklahoma, 2007).

Management differs today than it did in the past. In the past, managers were considered “bosses” and their job mostly consisted of giving employees orders, monitoring performance and reprimanding unproductive behavior and misconduct. Many managers still manage employees in such fashion; however, some managers now tend to be more proactive and have changed managerial functions for the betterment of company operations and performance to accomplish organizational goals. Effective management for company success now entails guiding, training, supporting, motivating and coaching employees verses

Leadership theory often discusses the importance of a leader learning to connect with co-workers in a personal and authentic manner. Mindfulness is highly effective in helping people increase their level of compassion towards others. “Compassion arises spontaneously as we become more mindful.” (Gelles, 2016, p. 133) As mindfulness helps us become more aware of our thoughts and emotions, it also helps us open our hearts to the experience of others. It is essential that the person practicing mindfulness first creates compassion towards themselves, which will naturally extend to others. “When we engage in self-compassion, we are willing to make room in our lives to see our own suffering and to offer ourselves some kindness.” (Marturano, 2015, p. 41) Compassion may be seen as a weakness within the competitive culture of corporate America, but instead, increasing our compassion towards others helps us see others as people

* Through the self-assessment on Leadership style and Emotional intelligence, I drew the inference that while I am good at gauging the emotions of my direct reports and peers, I often don’t intervene to better cement my professional relationship. It shall be my earnest endeavor to be more emotionally aware and apathetic.

The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard, Ph.D. and Spencer Johnson, M.D., seems like a practical simple plan on managing people and there for other areas of one’s life, however I must admit I am a little skeptical. The three philosophies do make sense especially once analogies are used to put them into more simple terms. Being in the work force for more than fourteen years I have witnessed many types of mangers. I have worked for hostile managers, calm caring managers and managers who fit somewhere in between. My skepticism with this theory is simply applying its use. On paper this method sounds great and makes a lot of key points, but again after

When people are down their actions are agressive and destructive affects decisions and opposite. Good managers have stable, mature personalities. For an example: if the employers are on strike. The manager must not just take a descision without having to sit down and listen to the grievences of the employees. When aproaching them with a descition the manager need to know if is the right time to deliver the descision.