10-28-2024
“What are three emotions that describe how you feel about your job?”
That was one of the central questions that Dr. Allie Gabriel, director of Purdue’s Center for Working Well and the Daniels School’s Thomas J. Howatt Chair in Management, encouraged those attendance at the center’s Distinguished Speaker Series to ask themselves.
Held on October 4 as part of the center’s “Year of Working Well” celebration, the lecture brought together faculty, students, organizational partners, and community members to learn how the center originated and the important role of emotions in guiding both its mission and Gabriel’s research. She explained how emotions serve as “data points,” providing critical insights into how we feel about our work and how we feel about the people we work with on a daily basis.
In addition, Gabriel described how emotions affect our self-regulation and the choices we make about what goals to pursue and how long to persist towards succeeding at those goals. She also addressed how emotions affect how we connect and respond towards others, serving as crucial social information or cues that can influence relationships and behavior.
As an example, she referenced her recent research on the practice of “venting” at work, which shows that the discharge of negative emotions has mixed results. On the positive side, it can cause people to commiserate and feel less alone in their struggle. However, it can also cause people to “relive” the negative event and feel even worse.
Gabriel also shared tips on how to better connect with others based on emotions:
✓ Be mindful of the types of conversations you are having at work — even innocuous ones like venting may feel good in the moment, but harm other people.
✓ Take steps to reduce uncertainty in your workplace — transparency is key, but when there is uncertainty, more problematic communication forms begin to crop up in its place.
✓ Be compassionate towards others — with boundaries. Offer people support and a roadmap for how they can succeed in ways that feel healthy and work for their situation.
Gabriel concluded with the Center for Working Well’s goals as it heads into its second year, which include growing its education and corporate engagement/outreach components. Those who are interested in partnering with the center or sponsoring its mission can find more information on its website. They may also contact Dr. Gabriel, or Associate Director for Outreach and Coaching Dr. Kasie Roberson.
Watch Dr. Gabriel’s presentation:
