Are you familiar with the concept of “wearing your emotions on your sleeve?”
It’s an expression that’s often used to describe individuals who let the world know exactly what they are feeling. When they are happy, they show it. When they are angry, they show it. When they are tired, they show it. And when they are disappointed, they show it.
The origins of the expression are usually attributed to the medieval custom of a knight tying a young maiden’s scarf around his arm during a jousting match. When he did this, the crowd knew exactly whose honor he was defending.
Somehow the idea of “wearing your emotions on your sleeve” became a sort of modern-day badge of honor. People take it as a compliment, signifying their willingness to be open and honest, and to let everyone around them know exactly what they are feeling.
From a good teammate perspective, however, the expression can represent selfishness masked as honor.
Good teammates can’t afford to just freely express their emotions, especially when it comes to negative emotions. They must always be masters of their emotions and, sometimes, that means showing restraint.
When you find yourself in a team setting, you must realize the tremendous influence your emotions have on those around you. If you are frustrated or in a bad mood, the same will soon inevitably be true of the rest of your team. It is a psychological concept known as emotional contagion where our emotions spread to others.
Good teammates are perpetually cognizant of this. They have a clear awareness for how their mood—their emotion—impacts everyone else on their team and the effect it can have on their team’s chances of achieving success.
Because of this, good teammates don’t wear all of their emotions on their sleeve.
When a good teammate enters a room, other team members are inspired by his or her arrival. An optimistic, hopeful, encouraging aura envelopes the room.
A willingness to share is an admirable quality of a good teammate. But when it comes to sharing a bad mood or negative emotions, you have to care enough to not share. In this instance, sharing is not caring.
If you’re the type of teammate who’s been wearing your emotions on your sleeve, it may be time to change shirts.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
