Crying is not a sign of weakness. When women are upset, some of our hormones-like prolactin-fluctuate and that stimulates tear production just as working out stimulates the sweat glands. Additionally, the tear glands in a woman develop differently than they do in men. Did you know that most men actually have larger tear glands than a woman of similar size? Males have a bigger reservoir before the dam spills over. It’s not that they don’t get emotional, rather they have more time to get themselves together. Other social and biological factors play a role in how we deal with emotions. However, this one is largely misunderstood, leading to females in the workplace being labeled “weak” or “overly emotional.”
Male or female, if you find yourself in this position, here are some coping strategies. NEVER leave the room. Take a deep breath and keep talking through the challenge. There is nothing wrong with you. Do not apologize. Continue as normal and, in a few minutes, you will feel normal again.
There are many great scientific articles on the subject but this one is particularly reader friendly.
Excerpted from the book Success Is A Side Effect: Leadership, Relationships, and Selective Amnesia by Monica F. Anderson.
