The Communicator's Emotional State and its Impact

Emotion as a filter of communication

Before uttering a single word, our emotional state is already shaping the message we are going to transmit, acting as a filter through which we express ourselves.

If we feel tired, stressed or irritated, it is very likely that our communication will be tinged by those feelings, even if we try to hide it.

Our words may be formally correct, but our tone of voice may sound cutting, our patience may be less, and our body language may convey tension.

Similarly, if we feel apathetic or unmotivated about a subject, that lack of enthusiasm will inevitably show through, making a presentation, for example, come across as flat and unconvincing.

Since human beings are fundamentally emotional, the way we communicate and the state from which we communicate directly impact how our message is perceived.

Emotional self-awareness as a prerequisite

The first and most important skill for managing the impact of our emotions on communication is self-awareness.

This is the ability to recognize and understand our own emotional state at any given moment.

Before an important conversation, presentation, or any meaningful interaction, it is critical to pause and ask ourselves, "How am I feeling right now?"

Being aware of our state allows us to make informed decisions.

For example, if we recognize that we are too irritated to have a constructive conversation, we can decide to postpone it until we have calmed down.

To ignore our emotional state is to risk it hijacking our communication and leading to undesirable outcomes, as we will not be able to align our state with the intent of our message.

Strategies for emotional management before communicating

Once we are aware of our emotional state, we can apply strategies to manage it proactively.

If we feel nervous before an interaction, deep breathing techniques can help calm the nervous system.

If we feel frustrated, taking a short walk or changing our surroundings may be enough to change our mood.

At other times, the smartest strategy is simply to postpone communication.

It is preferable to delay a sensitive discussion than to approach it from a state of anger or stress.

An example of great professionalism is that of a manager who, after a tense meeting, asks for fifteen minutes to calm down before starting the next one, making sure not to subject his interlocutor to an emotional state that does not correspond to the new interaction.

Summary

Before we utter a word, our emotional state acts as a filter that shapes the message, tinging it with sensations such as stress. How we communicate directly impacts how the message is perceived.

Emotional self-awareness is the ability to recognize our own state, allowing us to decide whether we are in a position to have a constructive conversation. To ignore our state is to risk it hijacking our communication.

Once aware, we can apply proactive strategies to manage it, such as breathing techniques to calm our nerves or simply postpone communication. This ensures that we do not subject the interlocutor to an inappropriate emotional state.