Leadership, Management & Life in the Workplace
  • Blog
  • About John
  • Decoding the Workplace
  • Dr. Juran AIG Archival Project
  • Contact
  • Disclaimers

Leaders, Managers, and Emotional Support in the Workplace

9/8/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
With life’s ups and downs we sometimes have emotional issues that affect us at work. The stress or upsetting situation may come from the workplace – a difficult co-worker, too much to do and not enough time to do it. Or the stress or upsetting condition may come from our personal lives – a death of a loved one, a divorce or marital issues, and such. We may find emotional support in our friends – at home or work. If an issue affects or potentially affects our productivity or job performance, a manager may take notice, may try to help, provide emotional support.

Managers providing emotional support to others in the workplace was the subject of a study reported in 2013 in the Academy of Management Journal. Researchers at the International Institute for Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland, and University College London studied a firm of over 60 people. The firm operated in an open floor plan where others were easily observed. Ginka Toegel and her colleagues gathered data by e-mail questionnaire and then interviewed 30 employees.

Here’s what they found. Some managers offered support by listening or perhaps giving advice. These managers supported but did not interact extensively. Other managers did -- not only listening and advising, but helping the employee reframe, rethink, see the issue from a different perspective, sometimes helping to formulate a positive perspective.

Why did the managers provide support? For some it was instrumental, something that needs to be done to maintain workplace productivity and prevent decreased morale. For others it was more from a sense of who they were, perhaps those who viewed themselves more as compassionate leaders.

Regardless of motivation, managers saw this as outside their role as a manager. Consequently they usually thought their emotional support would be reciprocated through more workplace commitment or acknowledgement. On the other hand, the employee being helped saw it as just part of the manager’s role, what managers are expected to do.

Managers who helped and employees who were helped had very different expectations. Employees appreciated the help and saw managers who gave it as better leaders. But managers who gave help and did not receive anything in return were often disappointed.

My take-away: The degree to which a manager provides emotional support probably depends on the relationship with the employee, the personality of the manager, and the culture of the organization. I have known leaders whose compassionate behaviors were intended to be instrumental. I have known other leaders for whom compassion was just in their DNA. And then there are leaders who have no clue how to support others emotionally in the workplace. What is your style? Your boss’s style? Do your antennae pick up when a co-worker needs a friend?

Toegel, G., Kilduff, M., & Anand, N. (2013). Emotion helping by managers: An emergent understanding of discrepant role expectations and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 56 (2), 334-357.

Image taken in Skagway Pass. © John Ballard, 2013. All rights reserved. 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012

    RSS Feed