Psychology accelerates its advances in understanding human behavior through new methods of nondestructively measuring mental processes. With each new finding, the inescapable conclusion is that the mind, body and environment are an interactive system that cannot be understood in parts.

It’s been widely known and accepted for many years that environmental context affects neurological development; as an animal (including us) matures, the experiences it has along the timeline of life has an impact on the characteristics, behaviors and perceptions of that animal.

Until recently, however, it’s been difficult if not impossible to identify just how stimuli external to the body of the animal alter the condition of the organism, its growth and development.

One new finding is that being exposed to people who express “negative” emotions (such as anger, fear, despondency, depression and grief) can have a destructive health effect on the receiver of those emotions. The physiology of the human antenna changes, and changes for the worse.

The person who consistently receives negative emotions from others experiences higher levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, higher blood pressure, worsened digestion and other physiological effects.

The immune system is less effective. General alertness and mental acuity are hampered. The longer the exposure and the more frequent or pervasive the negative emotions are in the environment, the worse it is for the receiver.

Contrast this with the apparent benefit of expressing negative emotions. It’s been shown that holding back negative emotions can lead to depression, substance abuse, suicide and the myriad stress-related physical problems that result from the body attempting to adapt to stressful conditions.

The dilemma is that it helps one to express negative emotions, but it hurts the people who are there to receive them.

Some people can take in a lot of negative emotion from others. Therapists, to be successful, must have a high tolerance for receiving the negative emotions of their patients. The aptitude to listen to repeated expressions of fear, loathing, depression and anger is high in some people. These people are sought out by friends, clients and relatives.

But other people cannot tolerate negative emotional exposure beyond certain points. It’s not a weakness by any means. It’s a limitation that is the result of inborn physiological traits coupled with environmental conditioning over many years.

For the person who expresses negative emotions in the course of being a business leader, there is an additional benefit that can result in organizational dysfunction. For example, if you are a leader and you experience negative events in your business, you may feel such negative emotions as disappointment, frustration and anger.

When you express those emotions with energy and agitation, it has a positive effect on your ability to reduce your stress and protect your health. The expression of such emotions, if witnessed by your employees, can also have the initial benefit of causing those employees to act in some way to attempt to reduce your negative emotion. They will try to please you.

Often without conscious understanding of what is going on, your expression of negative emotion will be operantly conditioned to repeat itself whenever you may want something done, and done quickly. The reinforcement of your negative expressions is caused by getting what you want as a result.

While the initial result may be positive, both for the leader’s personal health and for the benefit of causing others to act, the longer-term effect on the organization is the same as for an individual who constantly takes in the negative emotions of others, and has limited tolerance for it. The organization gets sick.

At some point in your work life, you’ve probably heard a business leader say something like this: “I don’t get ulcers. I give other people ulcers!” And it’s usually said with a prideful grin. Whether done consciously or unconsciously, the effect is the same: an organization that rots away from the inside.

It’s still a good idea to get negative emotions out, so how does a conscious leader do that without hurting others or falling into the trap of throwing tantrums because they get people moving?

One way is to have a personal coach or adviser (doesn’t have to be a psychotherapist) who is not affected personally by your emotional expressions, and has the requisite temperament to receive them.

Another way is to use media for expression that cannot negatively affect others, such as keeping a journal to record your emotions and events that caused them.

Constructively combative activities can also help, such as martial arts, which can teach one to go beyond the negative emotion in expressing energetically with partners who are skilled and prepared to engage in that activity. Having a sparring partner is the physical equivalent of a verbal therapist.

Leaders have the accountability for the impact of our own behavior. We must ensure that what’s good for us isn’t bad for everybody else.