Message #46557

[laurafmcdermott]

I have never cried at work due to a work situation.  Personal situations I take a break to the ladies room and have my cry, but not in front of anyone.

I was laid off from my job several years ago.  My supervisor burst into tears as she was going over my severance package.  I remained professional the entire time that she sobbed, until she finally realized that I was not going to do the same and regained her composure.

In that job, I had to fire people who had falsified their applications and were let go during their first few weeks of work.  Several of them cried and I found it extremely difficult to deal with, not being a crier myself.  What do you say to someone in that position?  There's certainly no way I could make it better for them, other than making it as quick as possible.

I have always felt the need to be completely professional at all times to justify myself.  I look much younger than my age, and I get a lot of flack/backlash for that.  I think to compensate for this, I dress professionally just about every day, I look people directly in the eye, and I try not to show emotion, whether it be tears, frustrations, anger, whatever.  Maybe I'm making myself out to be cold-hearted?