Group member:

Diệp Trần Phương Nghi - BABAIU23165

Case Incident 1

Manager Have Feelings, Too!

● How do you think managers can strike a balance between authenticity and
managing their own emotional displays (e.g., surface acting) in organizations? Or
do you think it is impossible to achieve such balance? Why or why not?
Surface acting, heavily emphasized by Emotional Display Behavior Management Theory,
involves faking emotions for the environment at the workplace. Managers balancing surface
acting with authentic, deep acting increases productivity and reduces emotional exhaustion.

A major constraint for emotional transparency is a manager’s authenticity. Managers need

Although this balance can be achieved, it necessitates regulation flexibility, particularly self-
awareness and prior emotional control. Controlling emotions, as well as understanding the effects
they have on other people is crucial for achieving proper workplace conduct. The formulation of
stress coping mechanisms through seeking peer help and developing mindfulness aids in
achieving desired self-control devoid of workplace dysfunctions.

● Do you think there are any emotions that are off limits—that leaders (or
employees) should never display at work? What are they, and what makes them
off limits?
Likewise, certain emotions or feelings need to be avoided in the workplace as their expression
might damage relationships, lower productivity, and negatively affect the organizational culture
and these include rage and anger, disdain and contempt, chronic negativity, and excessive fear
or anxiety.

“Uncontrolled anger” ranges to anything hostile and aggressive both words put together create
a toxic environment filled with blame which lowers collaboration.

“Disdain or contempt” comes from lack of respect in which a leader can automatically belittle
subordinates causing severe cases of resignation.

“Taken exaggeration” means worrying more than necessary, while worrying is part of normal
behavior, excessive worrying creates doubt toward leaders expertise.

Constantly pouring out complaints without resolutions or a determined carrot turns into
demoralizing employees followed by lack of work that excites them naming it as "Chronic
negativity".
While emotions are a completely normal part of life, a leader has the responsibility to
constructively manage them. Rather than acting on impulse like yelling and shouting, they can
employ emotions control such as empathy, alteration of negative thoughts or even maintaining a
professional, caring environment.

● Do you think there is a way to improve your reading of your manager’s and
coworkers’ emotions, and adapting your behavior based on this emotional
information? What are some ways that you can work on these types of behaviors?

To improve the ability to read the emotions of managers and colleagues, we can practice the
following:

First, observe colleagues through their gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice to better
understand their emotions.
Additionally, make an active effort to listen carefully when talking to colleagues. Pay attention not
only to their words but also to how they express themselves to grasp their true feelings.
Always put yourself in others' shoes and try to understand their perspectives and emotions. If you
sense that someone is experiencing negative emotions, take the initiative to check in with them in
a subtle and considerate way, offering support and encouragement.
Continuously adjust and regulate your own attitude to interact appropriately in various workplace
situations, avoiding conflicts and misunderstandings.
Regularly observe the reactions of colleagues and managers in different situations to learn how
to handle emotions effectively in the workplace.

Case Incident 2

When the Going Gets Boring

● Who is responsible for reducing boredom in the workplace and why? Is it the
employer? The one who is bored?

In my point of view, both the employers and the employees take responsibility on reducing
boredom in the workplace. To be specific:

● Employers are essential in creating stimulating work environments with room for
advancement. To keep workers engaged when work gets boring, employers could
provide learning opportunities, job rotation, or gamification. Additionally, employers want
to provide an environment in which workers may voice their worries about boredom
without worrying about being judged
● Employees need to be proactive in controlling their own boredom. Someone should look
for ways to add excitement to tasks, suggest new projects, or pick up new abilities if they
don't feel challenged. According to research, taking charge of one's job by establishing
goals and trying out novel techniques will eventually lessen boredom.

To ensure that boredom does not arise in the workplace, each individual, whether an employer or
an employee, needs to have methods to avoid becoming bored with work, which can come from
interacting with each other, finding more opportunities to learn or develop the work they are doing

● Do you think certain tasks are inherently boring and thus cannot be changed? If
yes, what are they? If there are tasks that cannot be made more interesting, how
 can the negative effects of boredom be mitigated for the employees who must
perform those tasks?

I think yes. Most boring jobs are repetitive and lack innovation. For example, jobs that produce a
specific component in a factory, workers only do one job and there is no change or advancement
in the job, gradually creating boredom that makes them want to leave that job. In addition, there
are some jobs that easily create boredom in the working environment such as data entry, call
center jobs, manual sorting tasks.

Besides, there are several ways to help employees and employers reduce boredom at work:

● Including Breaks: Quick pauses can assist minimize mental exhaustion and help refocus.
● Gamification: Using point-based rewards or goal-setting to transform tasks into
challenges might increase their level of engagement.
● Offering Autonomy: Employee engagement can be raised by granting them greater
discretion over how and when to finish their work.
● Workplace Environment: A tedious task might be made more tolerable by music, social
contacts, or ergonomic upgrades.

● Which emotion regulation technique do you think would be the most successful
in mitigating boredom and why?

Set new goals for yourself or challenge yourself to find value in daily tasks. Instead of viewing
work as a repetitive duty, employees can discover positive meaning in their job.

Time management skills can also help reduce boredom at work. By breaking tasks into smaller
parts and setting short-term goals, employees can feel more motivated and minimize monotony.

Develop self-discipline and emotional control to prevent personal feelings from influencing
decisions and actions.

Engage in continuous learning by seeking new knowledge and participating in courses to