Why We Need To Make Business Decisions With A Calm Demeanor

Why We Need To Make Business Decisions With A Calm Demeanor

Close your eyes, count till 100 and hey presto, your anger has vanished! Sure, it must have worked when you were a kid, but not any more. It doesn’t actually work when you are under work pressure. The ability to keep your emotions in check when the world around you is crumbling to pieces is not an inborn trait, you have to develop it when you are in a position of authority.

Here in this article we explore the main reasons why you should wear the mask of calmness even when your innards are boiling with fury and stress

Stress tends to rub off; it is contagious

When you are working as a team, the other person’s attitude plays an important role in determining the success of the project. If all the people are jovial and ready to take on challenges, the work progresses. But if one person in the team becomes edgy, he makes the rest of the people uneasy. This is the same when you hold a top position in a company. You may have tremendous credentials; perhaps there is no one else to beat you in experience, but what if you lack the ability to remain calm? Your stress and anger rubs off on others, and in the end, the project suffers.

Stress and anger might make you blind to the window of opportunity

Each crisis is a lesson, and you’ve got to reinvent as you move and adapt to the changing circumstances. In your anger/worry, you might not even see the window of opportunity, though in the surface, it might look like a crisis. A successful manager/entrepreneur sees that window and makes the best of the opportunity.

When something goes wrong, it gets worse when you overreact

Do you know what Steve Jobs used to do when something unexpected happens at his presentations? He doesn’t look stressed, not does he call off the presentation. He had the uncanny ability to look peaceful and calm, and he would go conversing with the audience and cracking jokes with them until things get back on track. That’s a great trait of behavior.

Taking a chill pill is good for your health

Of all pills in the world, the chill pill is the only thing that would help you get things done and without any side effects. When you take business decisions with a calm demeanor, you keep yourself healthy. Stress, anger and worry are negative emotions that would force you to take side-effect induced pills. You can definitely do without those pills, don’t you think?

Take a break, you can think with a clear head

When you feel stressed out, take a break and do your favorite activity – play golf, go for a movie, running, cycling anything that would help you think with a clear head. Though the source of the stress will not go away, you will be able to strategic decisions with a cool head.

You can actually cut the big problem into bite-size pieces

It is thinking about a problem that actually makes it big. So why don’t you deconstruct it into small bite-sized chunks? It would help you take intelligent decisions. Rather than fantasizing about the size of the problem and making it larger than life, you can actually take a constructive decision when you get cool.

It would help you step-back and create a plan

When you are cool, you will be able to create a framework to help you get past the situation. It could be a little time consuming depending on the magnanimity of the problem and the size of the project, but easier, because you can go smoothly from then on. It would also help you stay focused.

When you lose your cool, your focus shifts

The focus should be on how to overcome the problem, right? If you lose your cool, you cannot focus on what needs to be done. When you make decisions, you can keep tabs on what you have done and what you have not with the help of apps like Evernote and Wunderlist. When you feel like sending a biting email to your team member, go take a walk around the block, your focus has shifted.

It is not personal, so don’t take it so

As a leader, you have to make crucial decisions regarding different stages of a project. If something happens to hinder with your decision, don’t take it personally. Even when the boss reprimands you, it is important to maintain composure. Don’t let all the noise and politics cloud your thinking.

Your calm attitude can inspire your employees

If you keep a calm front, others will follow suit. Your behavior is always under close scrutiny of your colleagues, so you cannot afford to lose it. Maintain a positive mental attitude to inspire your employees even when impossible tasks confront you. There is always a way around a problem, so stay strong.

Anger is akin to vulnerability, it consumes

When you are disturbed, you are most vulnerable. The point of thinking rationally and acting objectively has passed. It is important to lose your anger and throw fear to the winds. What is the worst thing that can happen when you lose and take the wrong decision? That might just happen when you are angry.

Conclusion

Losing composure is easy, the difficult part is to say calm. It is also important to squash all those negative thoughts from your mind when you are faced with a problem. Instead, constructive thinking would take you a long way through the right path. Breath deeply, stay focused and keep a cool head – this is easier said than done, but that’s what will bring results.

Interesting links about the topic:
Different Ways Used By Leaders To Maintain Their Composure in Difficult Times
Leadership Is Staying Calm in the Storm

Pictures: Flicker.com / fs999 / Oli R

The author: Reema Oamkumar is engaged as a thought leader at www.Software-Developer-India.com which is a part of the YUHIRO Group. YUHIRO is a German-Indian enterprise which provides programmers to IT companies, agencies and IT departments.