Toxic Emotions at Work: How Compassionate Managers Handle Pain and Conflict
Organizational "toxin handlers"-the people who deal with emotional pain in the workplace-serve a dual role, says Frost, contributing positively to the health of both companies and their employees. The author, an organizational behavior professor at the University of British Columbia, explains that toxicity is a normal by-product of organizational life. It can stem from hard-driving executives who push production and motivate by fear; inevitable changes like layoffs, mergers or leadership shifts; or personal pain from illness, death or lifestyle transitions. Frost offers myriad anecdotes to show how toxin handlers attempt to absorb bad vibes via the role of compassionate listener, guide, buffer and mentor. These do-gooders face repercussions from their often-unacknowledged efforts; they might, for instance, become emotionally over-involved with people in pain, or even become toxic themselves. Although specific remedies for painful situations require custom-made responses, companies can adopt certain practical responses, e.g., "raise the issue of competence without undermining anyone's abilities." Emotions at work are an increasingly absorbing business dilemma, and this thoughtful book should be a help to leaders for whom there's more at stake than mere corporate profit and loss.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.