Susan David, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of Emotional Agility, argues that workplaces focus on positivity to the detriment of well-being and that the suppression of negative emotions can be harmful. “Teams that feel safe enough to articulate discontent or talk about frustration are the most high-functioning teams,” she notes. “When we only allow some emotions, we create a huge amount of emotional labor. We also create a situation for individuals that is psychologically unhealthy and undermines the organization’s ability to learn and function more effectively.”
