Professional men possess numerous strategies to overcome negative emotions. Like all entities, the workplace accumulates energy that cannot be reduced to mere professional skills or experience. It encompasses the intangible qualities cultivated by individuals—spirit, demeanor, vision, breadth of perspective, and intuition—which cannot be replaced by competence or expertise.
A professional who commented on my blog once wrote this on her site when I visited: "Now, when scolding unrelated to me lands on others, I feel guilty inside! Xiao Huang has once again copied my replica, 'performing' as my substitute. In truth, I too am the 'bad fruit' left behind after Xiao Ma departed."Looking back now, I finally escaped the supervisor's clutches by handing over the arduous task to her. I saw tears in her eyes, acne on her face, and a heart with a tightly shut door that no one could open. Her confrontation with the boss revealed her frustration! When she came down from headquarters, she was full of confidence, but now, severely shaken, she feels restless and wants to escape...Today marks the grand opening of our new store. I should be offering congratulations, but thoughts keep surfacing: Close down! Close down!For an employee to harbor such thoughts reveals just how dire the company's state truly is! The growing closeness between the finance department and the general manager—is it a blessing or a curse? It leaves one utterly perplexed! The loathsome Xiao Chen... Until the day we realize that he, she, are all mere pawns. The consequence of inverting black and white can only be one's own downfall! Having been hurt ourselves, we feel no pity for these villains...Because hearts made of trash are hideously ugly.
Such language and tone reveal that this professional's workplace energy is being drained by complaints and condemnation. The cause is clearly excessive negative workplace psychological suggestion—her own experiences and those of others have collectively shaped her current professional mindset.
Psychological suggestion refers to the psychological trait where individuals absorb the desires, concepts, emotions, judgments, and attitudes of their environment or others. Everyone is susceptible to suggestion; it is an innate human trait.
In pursuit of success and avoidance of pain, people unconsciously employ various suggestive methods. For instance, when facing hardship, people comfort each other with phrases like, "It'll be over soon, it'll be over soon," thereby easing the pain of endurance.When pursuing success, people envision the beautiful, thrilling scenes upon achieving their goals. This mental image acts as a form of suggestion, providing motivation, enhancing resilience to setbacks, and maintaining a positive mindset. Of course, these are examples of positive psychological suggestion. The professional who logged into my blog, however, was clearly influenced by negative psychological suggestion.
The negative aspect of psychological suggestion lies in its susceptibility to manipulation and control, making individuals vulnerable to becoming victims of others.For psychological suggestion to take hold, one's self must be exceptionally weak and immature, allowing it to be easily occupied and dominated by others' "suggestions." Such individuals inherently possess a need to accept suggestion, control, and manipulation—a mindset that readily aligns with external influences. Consequently, those lacking initiative, prone to following the crowd, and relatively immature in the workplace are particularly susceptible to suggestion.
Everyone experiences emotional cycles, and workplace individuals may occasionally find themselves in inexplicably low-energy phases. During such times, it's wise to tackle simpler tasks and avoid overburdening oneself. Reserve challenging problems for periods of heightened motivation, as positive moods fuel enthusiasm, boost confidence, and foster a willingness to confront difficulties head-on.Facing challenges in a positive state can minimize feelings of difficulty. Avoid labeling yourself or colleagues with unflattering tags like "lacking flexibility" or "unpopular." Remember, the real force that can bring you down isn't your coworkers—it's yourself.So how should we handle negative psychological cues from colleagues in the workplace? I suggest adopting an approach akin to "warming up a car engine," which can effectively adjust your mindset. Drivers know that warming up the engine before hitting the road ensures optimal performance—the same principle applies to tackling tasks.When feeling low, don't rush into work. Engage with colleagues first, or browse something that interests you. After "warming up" your mood, approach your tasks with renewed energy. By then, the negative emotions mentioned in the blog post at the beginning will have eased and diminished, allowing your workplace energy to build normally.
How should we handle negative psychological cues from colleagues in the workplace? I suggest adopting a similar "engine warm-up" approach to effectively adjust your mindset.