What is the difference between self-control and self-suppression? How can the awareness of the difference between the two help employees develop conflict management skills and a win-win attitude?
The stress of a work environment can be a trigger for emotional outbursts and conflict for many people. Looming deadlines, competition and personal/professional expectations make it challenging for employees to be level headed and calm. The delicate balance between expressing emotions in a healthy and productive way vs suppressing emotion or being overly reactive, is not easy but is critical for company success.
Self-control is the conscious process of channeling and processing emotions and thoughts, while as self-suppression is the attempt to rationally control thoughts and emotions without attempting to channel them in a productive capacity.
Suppression of emotion has consequences on the well-being of any human being (health, lack of resolve and clarity of solution, accumulation of stress leading to an emotional outburst). Employees that supress are more likely to become entrenched and defensive of their point of view, perceiving any opposition as threatening (known as a win-lose attitude). This attitude makes openness to new solutions less likely and conflict more likely.
In terms of a healthy long-term work-life balance self-control and the development of a win-win attitude is it the best possible outcomes for employees and the company as a whole. Here win-win means knowing that self-respect is not exclusive of respect for other colleagues and competitors. It means resolving problems rather than defending one side, searching a way out rather than anchoring in a position.
MyVincha offers meditation packages that focus on developing self-control and a win-win attitude – a key to conflict management and resolution.