No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work

I snuck in a book between books.

I was checking out a book that I had on hold at the library and this one was screaming at me from the 14-day loan shelf. Maybe it was the colorful cover, maybe it was the fact I've been working through a lot of emotions with people at work. Either way, it spoke to me. And, after what was a really quick read, I can say I learned some things in this book that will be helpful as I manage a newsroom full of dynamic personalities.

I've read a few leadership/workplace books and I don't always love them. I find most can be easily synthesized into an article or a 15-minute podcast. This one is really no different, but even skimming through it and reading the high points was beneficial.

The idea is to get away from the old school of thought that you should ignore your emotions at work. We're told early on - especially women - that we shouldn't be ruled by our emotions and that we should never EVER cry at work. It's unrealistic. And, it's especially unrealistic when we're working now with generations of people who have been taught not to keep their emotions inside. I also work in a TV newsroom where emotions often run high due to stressful deadlines, a collaborative environment and really emotional stories and interviews. This book is about not hiding those emotions, but how to better sort them and use them to your advantage, not your detriment.

I find this book would be more valuable for someone earlier on in their career. I'd really recommend it for any woman in her 20's who is finding her way through a career and a life. I don't mean that men couldn't benefit from it; but I do know women are more often seen as emotional and even hysterical for showing any emotion at all. We're (largely) ruled more by that emotion. This book could absolutely help.

For me - an old lady manager - there were still lessons to be learned. It was good to better understand (better remember, really) those times when work is the center of your universe and you were trying to navigate through the balance of emotion and your day-to-day responsibilities. It talks about how to make tough life decisions, how to avoid being a "chronic venter" and when to reset for your own sanity.

Each chapter includes real-life examples and takeaways on each topic. It also includes an assessment of determining your emotions at work and how to manage them.

Again, it's a quick read and I'd recommend it especially for young women early in their careers.