You Succeed or Fail Based on Your Reactions
Success depends on many factors – first and foremost your technical skill set. But hard skills will only get you so far. You also need the right attitude in the workplace. People who react poorly to challenging situations will struggle to advance their careers because success requires a high degree of emotional intelligence. Thankfully, you can take steps to adjust your attitude and learn to react constructively when challenges do arise.
Why Reactions Impact Performance
Say your boss sits you down to provide constructive feedback on a project. It was a project you poured yourself into and you thought you did a bang-up job, but your boss has identified areas where you could have performed better. If you react poorly – if you become defensive, if you toss blame on others, and if you write off the criticism as your boss acting like a jerk, you’ll head back to your desk in a foul mood and your work will be impacted for the rest of the day, if not longer. Resentment will build between you and your boss, and you can be she will remember the way you reacted to her feedback. However, if you had accepted the feedback and used it to improve on your next project, you would have set yourself up for greater success.
The ability to table your emotions in a challenging situation is a sign of maturity, emotional intelligence and leadership. When it comes time to promote people or dole out more responsibility, your bosses will reward people who can measure their reactions appropriately and who use challenging situations as learning experiences.
How To Reframe Your Reactions For Success
Managing your reactions doesn’t mean you can’t feel emotions at work. In fact, bottling up emotions actually leads to bigger problems down the line. It’s fine to feel angry, frustrated, disappointed or upset in the face of a challenge, but it’s essential for your success to control the way you react in the moment.
The next time you are presented with a challenge that stirs your emotions, acknowledge that it doesn’t feel good to receive that information, but remind yourself that it’s a learning opportunity and don’t let your emotions spill over into the conversation.
Remember that your mood and reactions will have a direct impact on your outlook at work. If you react to challenges by getting angry, brooding or letting small situations derail your entire day, you won’t be capable of doing your best work. When you reframe situations in a positive light, you’ll connect better with your boss and coworkers, you’ll have much more productive daily interactions, and you’ll demonstrate the emotional intelligence to tackle more responsibility and leadership on the job.
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