Since the first film was launched in 2015, the Inside Out franchise has become a global phenomenon that has fuelled conversations around mental health, parenting and how our bodies and minds adapt to change.

Released just last month, Inside Out 2 is now the highest grossing film of 2024 so far, and has become the first film to take in $1bn worldwide.

The franchise focuses on Riley, a now 13-year-old girl who faces new emotional challenges as she enters puberty. Riley’s emotions, which include Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment and Ennui (boredom) are personified, and they oversee her ‘Sense of Self’, which houses memories and feelings that form her beliefs.

Whilst the film does highlight the mental and physical challenges of adolescence, experts explain there are also some key learnings from the story that can also translate into the workplace.

David Rice, HR expert at People Managing People comments: “Inside Out has quite rightly been incredibly successful, as it reminds us that our actions and the decisions that we make are all dictated by our emotions.

“Every single day we are going through changes, whether that’s emotionally or physically, or in our work or personal lives. It’s important that managers and co-workers are reminded of this when communicating with each other.”

David, along with Toni Parks, a wellness coach at Park Holistic Health, share 5 key learnings managers can take from the film, and provide tips on how to apply them in a workplace setting.

1. Understand your own emotions

David comments: “One of the key messages in the film is the importance of understanding and managing emotions. As a manager, it’s just as important to be able to recognise your own emotions as it is your team members’.

“Your emotions affect your behaviour and your decision making, so being in tune with them can help you to acknowledge your own limitations.

“The film shows how uncontrolled emotions can often lead to poor decisions, so maintaining composure and having the ability to think clearly under pressure, or stepping away and allowing yourself the time to do this, is important.”

Toni adds: “As managers, navigating the emotions of your team is essential for fostering productivity, collaboration, and well-being. There are three key skills that effective managers should cultivate:

1. “Non-violent communication techniques that emphasise non-judgmental, clear, and specific language. If you want people to feel seen and heard, you need to enable clear expectations and NVC does that.

2. “Empathy to recognise diverse feelings, thoughts, and experiences within your team. Different projects may evoke varying emotions in team members. Understanding their perspectives is crucial.

3. “Mindfulness helps you cultivate compassion for others and the ability to experience self-compassion and to remain in the present moment. As a manager, practice being fully present when supporting a teammate experiencing intense emotions.”

2. Don’t be afraid to show your own emotions

“Showing your own emotions is not only acceptable, but essential.” Tony explains.

“Lead by example—show that being human is okay. Managers aren’t emotionless machines. Express both positive and negative emotions and create a safe space for emotional well-being and balance emotional expression with productivity by allocating appropriate times for discussing those emotions.”

3. Use your emotional intelligence

Toni comments: “Emotions are super powers! They aren’t weaknesses; they’re part of being human. Cultivate emotional intelligence to enhance productivity, happiness, and fulfilment. Imagine a workplace where everyone feels seen and heard emotionally, we could achieve remarkable results!”

“It’s also important to be able to recognise emotions in other team members, and understand their communication preferences so you can tailor your communication style when speaking with them.” David adds.

“For example, some people are better at taking constructive criticism than others. Consider how meetings to deliver constructive feedback are set up. Booking in a last minute meeting with no explanation or agenda can often heighten feelings of anxiety and therefore emotions are a lot higher.

“During team building exercises, creating an environment where team members feel emotionally safe to express ideas and concerns is key. Encourage them to share their voice, take on board their feedback and make sure you follow up on this too. Once you’ve done this, you will build trust with your team and they will have confidence in you.”

4. Embrace complexity

David comments: “As a manager, you’ve got to have a nuanced understanding of situations. In the movie, Joy initially believes that happiness is the only important emotion, but learns that other emotions play vital roles.

“In a workplace setting, this can also apply to the many complex challenges a manager has to juggle. And, most challenges have multiple potential solutions.

“Managers need to be able to strike a balance between conflicting priorities, which can often take its toll emotionally. Business is all about balancing short-term profits with long-term growth, as well as retaining staff happiness.”

5. Be agile

“The film shows how change can be difficult, but often necessary. Managers need to be prepared to adapt to new circumstances and help their teams navigate through changes.” David adds.

“A very unprecedented, but good example, is the Covid pandemic. This was an extremely tough time for workers in all industries, which threw most workplace processes out of the window. Good managers will have worked through these difficult times collectively with their team, and encouraged them to speak honestly.”

6. Consider team dynamics

David continues: “Just as the personified emotions in the film eventually learn to work together effectively for Riley’s benefit, well-managed teams can collaborate synergistically to achieve organisational goals and navigate challenges successfully.

“To do this, it’s important to build a diverse team, that is made up of a mix of skills, experiences and perspectives. Team members must also have clarity on the role they are playing and how this contributes to the team’s overall goals, as well as their individual goals.

“Providing regular feedback and implementing systems for ongoing, constructive feedback amongst team members will also help to maintain a positive team dynamic.”