PSC 11 – Expressing your emotions in a positive way
You've heard "keep your cool", "don't take everything personally", or even "stay professional"?
It's often well-intentioned… but misdirected. Emotions aren't the problem. It's the lack of reference points for expressing them with clarity and without violence that gets us into difficulty.
And that's where PSC 11 comes in, the ability to express your emotions in a positive way.
Expressing ≠ exploding. Expressing ≠ swallowing. Expressing = speaking your truth, with clarity and respect.
Why it's strategic for leaders When you carry a role-model role, you're watched constantly. And yet that role doesn't exempt you from strong emotions:
• frustration in the face of an injustice,
• disappointment after a failure,
• irritation tied to a lack of recognition…
So how do you put your emotions out there without it tripping you up? Expressing positively isn't about "making it pretty". It's about saying what matters to you, to stop it from turning into withdrawal, an explosion, or simmering conflict.
It's also a lever for relational impact: an emotion well expressed creates connection. It gives others a chance to help you regulate, to understand better, to cooperate.
This competency can be trained It isn't about "controlling" but channelling. Not to please, but to make yourself heard. Not to shine, but to avoid wearing yourself out.
👉 PSC 11 lets you:
• recognise what's happening within you (PSC 10),
• put the right words at the right moment,
• ask for what you need, without reproach,
• strengthen your relationships… even in the storm.
Want to try? Take a recent situation where you swallowed it or blew up. Ask yourself:
• What emotion was I experiencing?
• What was my unmet need?
• How could I have expressed it differently?
Today's micro-action: The "I" message (meeting version) Before your next meeting, prepare a simple message to express a feeling constructively. Use this template:
- I feel… (a precise emotion)
- Because… (the situation or value involved)
- I'd like… (a request or proposal)
💬 Example in a meeting: "I feel a bit under pressure when deadlines change without us talking about it. I'd like us to be able to take 5 minutes to validate the adjustments together."
Expressing without accusing, proposing without imposing. That's the power of PSC 11.
You've just taken the 1st step. And tomorrow, we continue.
Tomorrow: PSC 12, managing difficult emotions. Because expressing isn't always enough, you also need to know how to move through them.
See you tomorrow, Krumma
