Emotional Terrors in the Workplace: Protecting Your Business Bottom Line - Emotional Continuity Management in the Workplace

Experts in human response know, as now you know, that there is a wide range and infinite variety of possible emotional responses and reactions to infinite changes. Before you continue an exploration of human responses that turn into emotional spinning in the workplace, you also need to know there are responses that look like spinning but are not. There are responses that are clearly emotional spins . There are emotional responses that may appear like spinning but may be something quite different. Reactions originating from the following list may increase vulnerability to workplace spinning, but of themselves should not be considered emotional spinning. These emotional sub-sets may respond surprisingly well to simple positive management, affirmation, mentorship, a kind word, support system, training, an educational pamphlet, or brief EAP intervention.

The following list of spin-like reactions, impairments, or "dys- abilities " will be encountered in the workplace. It is important to treat these emotional responses with compassion and clarity to minimize the spin potential:

• People grieving the death of a significant family member, beloved friend, pet, co-worker

• People who are separating or divorcing

• Parents who are in the middle of a custody issue or other legal challenge

• Grandparents who are peripheral to a grandchild's custody issue

• Abuse survivors, male/ female

• People with physical illness (self or loved ones)

• Adult Survivors of childhood sexual assault

• Previously diagnosed mental illness that has usually been well managed

• Changes in medication

• Adult children of alcoholics

• People living with active addicts/alcoholics

• People dealing with issues about their aging parents

• Addictions (active or in recovery)

• Diagnosed serious illness of a loved one

• Undiagnosed physical illness (self or loved ones)

• Ethnicity or cultural differences

• Local or national tragedy or catastrophic event