Beware of these three E’s in your work life

Ego. Economics of money. Emotions.

These three E’s have the power to either make or break your professional life.

The Ego

You have a manager that micromanages everything. S/he wants to be marked on every email. The instructions are – do not involve me in every meeting but hey, I want to be told all that happens!

Or, you have a manager who takes the credit for all the work that you do.

I am sure the above two are familiar situations. The manager who micromanages effectively kills creativity and motivation of the team members. The very essence of collaboration is attacked and can backfire leading to frustration and disempowerment.

When credit is not given where due and also when due, it can give rise to resentment and a toxic work environment.

The economics of money

I have a friend who recently joined a company at less pay. When I asked her if she was getting paid for what she is worth, her reply was an emphatic NO. She however had an interesting two-fold rationalisation. One, that she loved the organisation’s purpose, which was her main reason to join. Two, this entry would provide her with a playing card for future job opportunities and she would be in a position to bargain.

It has been just a few days and she is already thinking of the next job! This is because she is aware that the salary offered currently will not suffice.

Emotions rule us

Managers and leaders who get upset often are not rare. Some of you may have witnessed situations of outbursts in the office wherein employees lash out in anger. These outbursts even though small in duration have the potential to disrupt our work and strain our working relationships.

The other emotion that often rules us at the workplace is fear of failure. Even though we may have been selected for our unique skills and competencies, it is not rare to find ourselves gripped with feelings of inadequacy and fear of failure. This ‘imposter syndrome’ kills further growth and paralyses people with negative thoughts that it almost becomes difficult to perform effectively.

Then, there is of course jealousy and resentment that rises when we feel others are being recognised whereas our work is being sidelined. Mistrust rules in such situations and it undermines teamwork and collaboration.

Overcoming the three E’s

The ego is the most difficult to leave behind. It is an integral part of our consciousness as well as the unconscious. It gives us our sense of personal identity. It also the measure for our feelings of self-esteem and self-importance.

While a healthy ego is required, working with leaders/manager/team members who have big egos can lead to stressful situations at work.

Though it is difficult, it helps if the other person can remain calm and composed. The idea here is to conserve your own energy and strength and channelise it in the best way possible. Try to be compassionate towards the other person. Compassion allows you to rein in your anger and other negative feelings that may arise. It acts as a great diffuser in strained relationships.

Money matters. Learn to acknowledge that. At times, it may even overpower your sense of purpose and the alignment you may feel with the organisation’s purpose. Be aware of your real reasons for choosing a job and negotiate better and harder for what you bring on the table. Being paid less for your skills and competencies is not a win-win situation for anyone.

As for regulating emotions at the workplace, begin with first being conscious of them. We often struggle with naming our feelings. Look for opportunities to give and receive honest feedback. Encourage open communication that leaves little room for discomfort and ambiguity.

The three E’s are out there and also within us, jostling to overtake us at any given time during our day. The more you are aware of them the better you can work out a meaningful solution to resolve situations arising out of their interplay.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Sarita Bahl

Sarita Bahl is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Swedish Institute of Management Program. An experienced and versatile leader, she comes with nearly four decades of professional experience. She has over the years successfully overseen the communications and public affairs function and led the corporate social responsibility strategy for Bayer South Asia, Pfizer, and Monsanto, among others. Sarita has held multiple roles across diverse industries, the public sector, trade associations, MNCs, and the not-for-profit sector. Her areas of interest include advocacy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and communications.

As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Senior Practitioner (Mentoring) from the European Council of Mentoring and Coaching (EMCC), Sarita specializes in career transition, inner engineering and life issues. Sarita enjoys writing and is passionate about animals, books, and movies.