Repression vs. Suppression

How Childhood Negative Emotions and Experiences Affect Leadership and Behavior at Work Place - by EQ Coach Dr M

Unknown to us our Mind has a way to deal with childhood trauma and negative experiences. Often this is so serious it it even labeled as PTSD. One way our Mind manages this childhood trauma is to Suppress or Repress those deep seated negative emotions in the Subconscious Memory. Part of being an Emotionally Intelligent Leader is to deal with these emotions.

Suppressed emotions are feelings that Leaders intentionally push out of their conscious awareness. This can be done for various reasons, such as to avoid feeling emotional pain or discomfort, to conform to societal expectations, or to maintain a facade and get on with life like everything is OK.

Repressed emotions, on the other hand, are feelings that Leaders are not even aware of or have forgotten. These feelings may be unconscious and may resurface in the form of physical symptoms or toxic behaviors that the Leader does not understand, leading to unproductive leadership traits or behavior.

Emotional Intelligence is about being aware of our Suppressed and Repressed Emotions and Managing them for productive Leadership Traits and Behavior and not allowing them to surface as a Toxic Leader.

Coach Dr M, a certified EQ Trainer and Coach has this to say. "Most Managers are ignorant of the link between their Childhood trauma and experience and their behavior in the workplace."