Simply acknowledge that emotions are present

“You seem upset.”

“No, I’m not! I’m just frustrated !!!”

While discussing emotions is vital to confident communication, naming someone else’s emotions can easily send the conversation off track.

In Think Faster, Talk Smater, Matt Abrahams says, “To acknowledge emotions without naming them, you might say something like: ‘I recognize how important this is to you. I know we can find a good solution by focusing on…’ ”

If you sense the other person will feel constrained by your naming their emotions, you can simply acknowledge that emotions are present.