With our world becoming increasingly more virtual every day, I would have no problem focusing on my general skills gap when it comes to using technology. However, that would probably just cause me more embarrassment than it would provide you with insight. So instead, I will focus on something that more of you can relate to, which is using emotions in business.
When you start a company, the separation between your business and personal life quickly fades. I am not saying that there is no such thing as work-life balance at a startup, but it is tough to form a clear distinction between work and personal for many reasons. As a Founder and CEO, my business is almost always on my mind. With a small team, you spend so much time together and rely on each individual to wear countless hats in order to meet goals and keep the business afloat. These work relationships naturally become personal as you learn so much about each other through the time spent collaborating and celebrating successes outside of the office. Emotions will inevitably influence business decisions; it is simply a matter of finding the right balance so they become more beneficial than destructive.
My emotions influence my decisions - often times, more than they should. Sometimes it can be very challenging to lead a team and run a business with how personally tied I am to every aspect of my company. It is good to have emotions in business, but when they get in the way of smart decision making, how do you deal with it? This is an area I have started to improve upon and will provide what I have learned so far.
Emotions tend to overwhelm us at the forefront of making a big decision or when we hear significant news for the first time. Taking a step back to decompress and mentally walk through the scenario at hand is helpful. Once you initially absorb the information, engage in an activity to take your mind off of it, such as going on a run or grabbing a drink with friends. Then when re-assessing the matter, it will be easier to approach it from the big picture and analyze the potential outcomes.
Once you have had the time to consummately absorb the information, seek advice from those who you surround yourself with. The best thing I have done for myself and my business is build a great team around me, as well as regularly rely on my advisors and mentors. However, I only lean on others for help once I have taken a step back to see the bigger picture. This way, I am able to effectively communicate my thoughts collectively and mindfully.
I am not trying to eliminate all emotions from business decisions, but rather striving to improve on becoming more self-aware of emotions affecting my thought process and inhibiting the best decisions for the business and employees. For this reason, emotional intelligence is important to apply in business. It is awareness that enables your emotions to enhance your business acumen rather than delude it.
