Common Management Error (116)
Cxvi) Not Understanding Cognitive Dissonance (including emotional dissonance)

Introduction
There needs to be a space where people in your organisation can talk about their feelings.
"...throughout the working day, you regulate your emotions. Regulating emotions is a healthy, adaptive strategy. The danger zone is when regulating emotions involves suppressing emotions and never having an outlet to talk about how you feel..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c
In this happens, there is a mismatch between emotions you are experiencing and emotions you are expected to suppress; the latter is based on rules, expectations, environment and the situation. This mismatched tension is called emotional dissonance.
However, in most organisations, based on
"...training and company policy dictate that you must always be polite, regardless of the person' s language (and behaviour)..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c
Thus in most organisations staff will temper their response, depending on the situations; this can include:
- dealing with an angry and abusive customer and/or:
- dealing with a fellow staff member who is stressed out, and getting frustrated or annoyed, etc
"...however, these interactions will generate an emotional response, and tempering the response create an internal conflict that causes emotional dissonance..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c
Emotional dissonance is an extension of cognitive dissonance, ie
"...cognitive dissonance is the discomfort that results from holding beliefs, values or attitudes that conflict with others . People are motivated to reduce the discomfort that inconsistency provokes by changing either their attitude or behaviour. Both forms of dissonance create internal tension. Cognitive dissonance is between beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours while emotional dissonance is between felt and displayed emotions ..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c
You need to understand that both cognitive and emotional dissonances can have negative impacts on  well-being and performance, ie levels of burnout/exhaustion, anxiety/mental distress, and absenteeism/sick leave, etc; furthermore, there is some evidence that people with cognitive and emotional dissonances are less willing, and less likely, to help others and to be prosocial.
NB
"...suppressing emotions and putting on a facade are not the foundations for a vibrant and thriving workplace..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c
Ways to handle
i) Open communications (encourage psychological safety so that staff are comfortable expressing their true feelings, especially when facing challenges; at the start of regular meetings allow time for genuine checking on feelings; rather than focusing on problem-solving, ask what they need.)
ii) emotional intelligence (know how to manage your own emotions; be adept at recognising and responding to the feelings of others; notice any behavioural shifts like withdrawing, becoming more argumentative, acting out of character, etc; encourage genuine sharing of feelings.)
iii) healthy work life balance (allowing time to relax and recharge so that less likely to experience emotional dissonance
"...An emotionally healthy team is more likely to be engaged, motivated, and productive. Consequently, carving out space to share and listen is a good use of your time and your team's time..."
Michelle Gibbings, 2024c)