Keeping Your Cool: The Importance of Controlling Emotions in the Business World

During my time in the industry -- as a member of the re-seller community -- I find that we all compete with one another at some point. Emotions can run rampant during these times, and lead us to make rash decisions that tarnish our reputations, and risk losing meaningful relationships with our partners.

Don’t get me wrong, competition is essential in every industry, and I’ve come to understand that we all have different methods for doing business. However, over the years, I’ve realized that the best business leaders possess a sense of emotional intelligence, and can really balance their own motives with the organizations.

I’ve seen Senior Executives jump ship and start at new companies, bringing all the technologies and relationships from their previous companies with them into new companies, without even realizing that they don’t align with the organization at all.

Simply making decisions on an emotional rush without considering the potential impact on the organization does not make for a strong leader.

Strong leaders, in my opinion, are level-headed, analytical individuals who strive to know everything they can about the organizations they lead, including their people.

Strong leaders put the organization first.

Leaders who are constantly researching the organization’s environment, speaking with existing staff, and properly evaluating plans and executing them, are the ones who whom lead the most successful companies.

We can see this in the way Elon Musk led Tesla Motors, an electric car company that nearly hit bankruptcy in 2008. Despite Elon’s world falling apart due to organizational restructuring, tight financial obligations, internal feuds, and even a divorce, Elon kept his cool and managed to release the Roadster -- investing everything he had left into the business.

One of the worst things we can do to our business is to make buying decisions out of our own personal motives and emotions alone. Even in life, when we let emotions and personal motives control us, they have a funny way of coming back to bite us.

Bottom line?

Learn how to align personal motives/emotions with the goals of your organization.

Think, plan and execute with a clear mind. Instead of making decisions based on feelings alone, properly assess all aspects of the business and individuals or teams involved.

Some of the strongest leaders I've seen succeed in business have been successful at controlling their own emotions. They are level headed and you never see them go from one extreme to another – it’s this quality that keeps us from becoming ticking time bombs for our business.

As a CEO of my own company, I’ve been able to craft my own leadership style after years and years of mentorship. I’m forever grateful for my mentors and never get tired of listening and learning from them. I don't think I will ever stop learning.

To be curious, to learn, to adapt to an business environment today that is constantly changing, all while aligning your personal motives with the organization, will be a key success factor in this industry today.

I wasn't always good with seeing things objectively.

I'd get attached to projects, and try to work out situations in a very specific way. I still find myself doing this from time to time. When I catch myself, I stop, and breathe. When I’m too caught up in my own emotions, my own motives, I like to take the time to see things from a fresh point of view, a new angle.

I find that after doing this I make better decisions in my business, as well as my home life.

As an extremely passionate person, separating my emotions and what I want for the business can be challenging. However, with age and experience, this separation comes easier.

At the end of the day, as a leader of an organization, you have to put the organization first. When push comes to shove and your back is against the wall, remember that you have a team of loyal, hard-working individuals relying on you, working towards the same goal. It is important to control your emotions, but don’t close up to those who support you – take the time to listen to your mentors, your staff, a family member. I promise you it will make all the difference.