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Did you just get an email that caused your emotions to stir?
Did someone just say something to you that you took personally?
Did someone’s body language indicate displeasure with you?
Or did someone ignore your text messages and you now feel unimportant?
All of these things can happen in a day and can cause us to emotionally react. Sometimes our emotional reactions are good and sometimes they are not. Too often we assume the worst and unfortunately, it is about ourselves.
And too often we lose sleep over it. We keep thinking about it in bed, and it keeps us awake.
It’s not worth it.
“The emotional brain responds to an event more quickly than the thinking brain.”– Daniel Goleman, Author, Emotional Intelligence
However, controlling our emotional reactions is so important in today’s socially connected environment. If we do react, we may destroy our credibility, lose respect, and worse, relationships.
We have been told that when we get an email or text that infuriates us, we should write a response and then delete it. But too often we forget the second part and send it anyway. Now it gets messy. Once sent, seldom can we retrieve that email and seldom can we repair the damage.
You see reacting emotionally is natural. It’s all about our self protection system and how our brain operates.
It’s fight or flight.
But controlling your emotions is not natural or automatic. It is something you have to work on everyday.
Sometimes you have to bite your tongue!
So what do you have to do?
Don’t assume anything.
Whether it is body language or verbal statements, don’t assume anything and don’t assume the worst.
Don’t take anything personally.
You don’t know what is going on in a person’s life at that moment.
People you meet come with all types of opinions, some right and some wrong. Listen to what they say. Listen for what is generating that opinion.
Remember, you probably have more information and statistics on the subject than they do. Use it to your benefit and alter their perspective.
Ask questions.
The best defence is a good offense. Asking open ended questions is a good offense, reacting to or responding to their comments is a poor defense. Turn the discussion around. Make them explain rather than you trying to explain. And then counter with more questions like “Did you know that . . .”
Have a discussion that you control and leads the prospective client to where you want to go.
So keep these three things in mind, and you won’t let the emotion get in your way and derail your business!
“You are the boss of your life, not your feelings. Don’t let emotions run your life.” – Joel Osteen, American Author and Evangelist
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