"No one is at the mercy of their emotions"

Ms Dörflinger-Khashman, the title of the keynote speech at the beginning of the Respect Programme is "Emotions under control? How emotions affect us and ways to regulate them successfully". Why did you choose this particular topic?
Nadia Dörflinger-​Khashman: For at least two reasons: Firstly, emotions are often perceived as inappropriate in the work environment. But emotions are an important source of information. Where there is emotional energy, there are often very important concerns. In order for these to be heard by others, it's important to manage your own emotions in a conversation so that the other person can participate. Another reason is that strong emotions – such as anger, fear or powerlessness – can make it difficult to think clearly, empathise or find solutions in tense situations. The ability to self-regulate emotionally can help us to engage in constructive dialogue in difficult moments instead of getting stuck.

ETH is generally perceived as a very rational organisation. How would you assess this?
It's true that our core activities, such as teaching, research or the transfer of knowledge and technology, could give the impression that we are a purely rational organisation. But at the same time, performance and innovation are about passion, discourse, failure and co-creation. This requires communication, collaboration and conflict management skills. Being able to manage your emotions at the right moment can make the difference between dysfunctional escalation and constructive controversy.

Let's get back to the keynote speech: Who is the talk aimed at and what will the participants take away from it?
The talk is aimed at everyone at ETH - regardless of level or function. I think each and every one of us sometimes struggles with feelings that paralyse or control us in certain professional situations. Sven Barnow, one of the most renowned experts in the field of emotional self-regulation in the German-speaking world, will show that emotions are not only important and always present but also that no one has to be at the mercy of their emotions.

What can we expect from the Respect programme in the future?
We have put together a broad programme that addresses different aspects of value-based collaboration. For example, in April there will be live events with experts on topics such as unconscious bias, dealing with conflict and a panel discussion on bullying. Our website also offers practical tips and checklists for the workplace on different aspects of respect and collaboration. It’s well worth exploring the Respect programme. I'm sure that everyone will find a topic that interests them and that they would like to explore further.