Detecting Emotional Shifts in Feedback

Change is not a linear process and we should stop treating it as if it is... Here are 5 ideas to help you manage change: 1. Change Happens in Loops, Not Steps People move from excitement: “We are cracking it!”-->To Frustration: “Why is this so difficult?”---> and back again as new challenges or information pop up. Progress also depends on local dynamics, leadership, and external pressures, where a person eager to “test the change in the programs I am leading” may later feel “this is too much to handle” when system constraints surface. Remember, small system changes (new policy, new tool) can trigger ripple effects (bottlenecks, role confusion), shifting emotions from “excited” to “anxious” 2. Emotional States Are Signals -Resistance: “Why do we need to lose time having these conversations?” may indicate conflicting incentives or structural friction, not personal reluctance. -Anxiety and frustration: “This is too much to handle!” may signal unclear priorities or overloaded systems. -Curiosity and excitement: “Let’s do it!” signals alignment between the change and what people need to do their work better. Realize that emotions are system feedback, not flaws, telling you where to focus. 3. Change Depends on Context Different teams experience different emotional situations: Some are “confident” and “playful,” seeing change as “fun but with room for improvement”, while others feel “sceptical,” “exposed,” or “vulnerable,” reflecting uncertainty or competing pressures. Informal networks often spread these emotional signals faster than official channels, while external factors (market shifts, a merger) can move teams from “curious” to “anxious” in an instant. 4. Leadership Actions in Change Observe the system: -Track emotional signals across teams, noticing patterns like repeated frustration or emerging confidence. -Identify where information flow or decision-making is causing friction. Probe safely: -Encourage teams that are “curious” and “want to test changes” to run small experiments. -Use insights from emotional signals to adjust plans instead of rigidly pushing through. Respond adaptively: -Amplify what’s working where people feel “inspired,” “confident,” or “energized.” -Address system blockers causing repeated “burnout,” “denial,” or “resistance.” 5. A Non-Linear Landscape In real change: -Teams may feel “confident” in one area and “critical” or “perplexed” in another. -Individuals may feel “curious” on Monday, “frustrated” by Wednesday, and “playful” again by Friday as issues are resolved. Remember, resistance often comes from real system conflicts, not a lack of will. Our Practical Tips for Leaders, from our experince helping organizations: 1. Stop expecting uniform, staged adoption 2. Ask: “What in our system is creating this frustration or resistance? 3. Don't default to label people as blockers 4. Support experiments to learn and adjust 5. Help teams see how their work fits into the bigger picture

In any workplace, a feedback conversation is one of the most emotionally charged interactions. A very interesting concept that’s relevant there is 𝗘𝗴𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. It refers to the degree to which a person’s sense of self is tied to their work, capabilities, or reputation. Individuals interpret feedback as a reflection of their personal worth or identity, not just performance. When ego involvement is high, feedback that challenges performance can feel like a challenge to one’s identity. Conversely, when feedback supports or builds upon someone’s self-concept, it tends to be accepted constructively and acted upon. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗲𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 • Frequent self-references to identity-defining traits  Phrases like “I always deliver on time,” these statements go beyond skill; they reveal self-worth linked to performance. • Overuse of “role-as-identity” language Examples: “I’m the one who holds the thread together” - the person sees their role not as “job function” but as part of who they are in the team. • Sensitivity to specific types of recognition or critique - feedback about “technical excellence” may energize one person, while “collaboration” praise does little. The form of appreciation they value most is often where their ego lives. In such cases minor feedback on those areas sparks over-explanation or blame-shifting likely as a defense. These indicators serve as identity hotspots. The more ego involvement there is around a topic, the more skill a leader can bring into the framing of feedback – preserving dignity while encouraging development. 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀? • Differentiate the person from the behavior: “The report missed key details” rather than “You were careless.”  • Frame feedback as forward-looking and developmental: “Strengthening this skill will enhance your impact” instead of “You need to improve.”  • Build on self-image rather than threaten it: “Your commitment to quality is a strength — let’s extend that focus to managing timelines.” Our identities are often woven into what we do. When leaders recognize this, spend time to understand the recipient, and speak to both competence and character - feedback shifts from confrontation to collaboration. #feedback #ego #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #peopleleadership #management #emotionalintelligence #collaboration

Using Data to Analyze Employee Sentiments and Stress Levels- An mandate exercise for HR👈 In today’s dynamic workplace, understanding employee sentiment and stress levels is critical for fostering a productive and engaged workforce. While traditional surveys provide some insights, data-driven approaches enable deeper, real-time analysis. Here’s how organizations can leverage data to assess and act on employee well-being effectively. 1. Leveraging Multiple Data Sources - Pulse Surveys & Feedback Forms - Collaboration Tools HR Systems & Attendance Records – Increased absenteeism or late logins could indicate burnout. Performance Metrics – Sudden dips in productivity may signal disengagement. Wellness & EAP Usage Data – A rise in counseling sessions or wellness benefit usage might indicate growing stress. 2. Applying AI and Sentiment Analytics Advanced analytics and AI-driven tools can help decode employee emotions: Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze written feedback, emails, and internal forums for sentiment shifts. Machine Learning Models to detect patterns in employee behavior, flagging potential burnout risks. Predictive Analytics to forecast future stress levels based on historical trends. 3. Measuring Stress Through Passive Data Beyond self-reported surveys, passive data collection can provide real-time insights: Workload Analysis – Monitoring meeting hours, email traffic, and after-hours work trends. Heart Rate & Wearable Data – With employee consent, wearables can track stress indicators. Voice & Facial Recognition (Ethically Used) – Some organizations explore AI-driven emotion detection in virtual meetings. 4. Turning Insights into Action Collecting data is just the first step—acting on it is where impact happens: Manager Dashboards – Equip leaders with real-time sentiment insights to intervene early. Flexible Work Policies – Adjust workloads, offer mental health days, or encourage hybrid work if stress spikes. Personalized Well-Being Programs – Use insights to tailor wellness initiatives (e.g., meditation sessions, workload balancing). Anonymized Feedback Loops – Ensure employees feel safe sharing their experiences without fear of repercussions. HR professionals can use a variety of tools to analyze employee sentiment and stress levels effectively. Here are some of the top tools across different categories: 1. Sentiment Analysis & Employee Feedback - Peakon (by Workday) - Qualtrics EmployeeXM - Glint (by LinkedIn) - Tinypulse 2. Communication & Collaboration Analytics - Microsoft Viva Insights - Slack Analytics & Kona - CultureAmp 3. Performance & Workload Monitoring - Lattice - Betterworks - ActivTrak 4. AI & Machine Learning-Based Analytics - Humanyze - Worklytics - Humu 5. Wearable & Biometric Data (For Opt-in Use Cases) - Fitbit Enterprise & Garmin Health - Emotiv 6. HR Analytics & Dashboards - Tableau - Power BI - Visier People #HR #HRSentiment #HRAnalytics #MentalHealth #StressAtWork

What they don't say speaks louder than what they do. Hidden signals exceptional leaders don’t miss. Great leaders see both of these things: What's spoken What's hidden Seven signals to watch for: 1. Emotional tells ▪️ Voice pitch rises when excited or defensive ▪️Speech pace quickens with anxiety or slows with hesitation ▪️Energy suddenly drops when touching difficult topics ▪️Topic changes abruptly when something feels uncomfortable ▪️Sighs or pauses appear before certain subjects 2. Body language ▪️Micro-expressions flash across face (2-3 seconds) showing true feelings ▪️Posture shifts from open to closed (arms crossing, shoulders hunching) ▪️Self-soothing touches (neck, face, hair) signal discomfort ▪️Eye contact breaks during specific topics ▪️Feet point away when disengaged but body stays facing you 3. Inconsistencies ▪️Words say "I'm fine" but tone suggests frustration ▪️Claims to be "completely onboard" but actions show resistance ▪️Yesterday's enthusiasm changes to reluctance ▪️Public agreement followed by private concerns ▪️Stories about the same event change slightly each telling 4. Missing elements ▪️Certain people or topics consistently avoided ▪️Direct questions met with answers to different questions ▪️Key timeline details always glossed over ▪️Certain team members never mentioned ▪️Success stories missing acknowledgment of challenges 5. Response patterns ▪️Deflections: "Interesting question, but what about..." ▪️Intellectual abstractions: moving to theory when asked about feelings ▪️Humour appearing specifically when topics get personal ▪️Over-explaining simple matters while under-explaining complex ones ▪️"We" language shifting to "they" when discussing problems 6. Energy shifts ▪️Animation increases when discussing certain projects/people ▪️Energy visibly drains during specific meeting topics ▪️Leaning forward during discussions about vision/future ▪️Physically pulling back when accountability mentioned ▪️Note-taking starts/stops with specific subjects — ♻️ Repost this to help teams go from good to exceptional. Follow Ashleigh Tennent, Founder of More Happi

🥵 There's a moment every UXer experienced— You're presenting your carefully crafted design. The one you've poured your heart into for weeks. You've done the research. You've anticipated the problems. You've iterated based on user needs. Then someone says, "I don't think this works." And something inside you... shifts. A warm flush rises to your face. Your heart beats faster. Your shoulders tense. And before you know it, you're explaining, justifying, defending - or worse, dismissing their perspective entirely. This reaction isn't just uncomfortable - it could be silently blocking your career advancement. This is why UXers who struggle to advance aren't necessarily those with less expertise. They're often the ones who can't separate their identity from their work. When we respond defensively to feedback, we-- - Teach stakeholders to withhold honest input - Brand ourselves as difficult to collaborate with - Miss crucial insights that could elevate our work This pattern can be transformed! 1. Start by recognizing your physical sensations when receiving feedback (tension, heat, rapid heartbeat) 2. Use these as signals to pause rather than immediately respond. 3. ... Want to learn the complete 5-step framework for turning critique into career fuel instead of fire? Read this week's UX Mentor Diaries issue where I break down the 3 defensive responses that sabotage careers and share this 5-step framework that top UX leaders use to build influence through feedback. Your career ceiling isn't determined by your design skills. It's determined by how you handle moments when those skills are questioned. Read the full newsletter → https://lnkd.in/eCu8GkKB

Most leaders believe they can “𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮.” In reality, they often read 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. And that’s where miscommunication begins. Because what people show and what they feel are rarely the same. Here are 7 quiet signals that are easy to misread and what they might really mean 👇 ⬤ 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 → Looks like agreement, often means fear or disengagement. 💡 Ask: “What are we not saying yet?” ⬤ 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 → Seems like motivation, can hide exhaustion or pressure to please. 💡 Ask: “How are you really doing with this?” ⬤ 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 → Feels like respect, often means people don’t feel safe to disagree. 💡 Invite: “It’s okay to challenge, what’s your view?” ⬤ 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 → Looks like commitment, may signal quiet burnout. 💡 Check: “What helps you stay energized right now?” ⬤ 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 → Seems insecure, usually it’s an attempt to stay safe from blame. 💡 Say: “You’ve explained it well, I trust your reasoning.” ⬤ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 → Looks resistant, often protects from feeling unseen or criticized. 💡 Ask: “What feels at stake for you here?” ⬤ Quiet humor → Sounds light, sometimes it’s how people release tension they can’t name. 💡 Notice: What truth is hiding in the joke? These small emotional cues are easy to miss. Most leaders focus on 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, but the real information sits underneath, in 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆. The truth is, our brains read 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰. That means people react emotionally long before they decide rationally. By the time someone speaks, their tone and energy have already told you what’s happening. Leaders who learn to notice this can see what others miss. They listen for how things are said, not just what is said. They notice when the energy of the room shifts. They ask what a reaction might be protecting, instead of judging it. Because 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸. 🟠 Great leadership isn’t about managing behavior. It’s about 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 it and l𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀. ✨ If you want to go deeper into this, I’ll soon share a free PDF in my newsletter, a short guide on how to start spotting emotional signals in your team. #InnerLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #ModernLeadership #TeamDynamics #UnspokenSignals #LeadershipCommunication #HumanLeadership

6 Emotional Cues Every Leader Should Notice Before Giving Feedback Most leaders avoid giving feedback because they’re afraid of breaking trust. What if the real problem isn’t what you’re saying but is what you’re not noticing? When feedback feels like a threat, it's usually because the leader missed the emotional cues that came first. Here are 6 types of emotional cues to watch for:   1. Tension – clenched jaw, shallow breathing, eyes darting   2. Disengagement – silence, fidgeting, lack of eye contact   3. Defensiveness – crossed arms, sharp tone, overexplaining   4. Resignation – sighs, slumped posture, quiet nods   5. Surprise – widened eyes, raised eyebrows, frozen expression   6. Shame – flushed cheeks, downward gaze, withdrawal These aren’t signs to push through. They’re invitations to pause and connect. Because when people feel safe, they stay open. And when they stay open, feedback leads to growth vs damage. Want help learning how to lead these moments with clarity and care? Let’s talk. ♻️ Repost if this hits home 📩 If you enjoyed this content, you might like my newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/guUY5BDx Subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://lnkd.in/gUwb6Wv3