[January 25, 2017] Learning from leaders is not always ordained to be from good things they do; although leadership is set by example, for good and bad. I’m sure all of us have seen leaders who do things that are not just wrong, but are purposefully wrong. Leaders losing their cool is one example.
People get angry … leaders get angry. Their emotions pull them hard and their behavior can openly reflect their state of mind. Good leaders are those who can harness strong emotions to their benefit (we then call it “passion”). There is a long list of psychiatric and medical conditions that can trigger outbursts, but I’m not here to delve into them. My intent here is to discuss the damage caused by such acts when leaders lose their cool.
We’ve all seen it … our boss losing his cool or a commentator on television go nuts. The damage is quickly done and we are left to help pick up the pieces and the outburst is never forgotten. Or perhaps while attending a conference we see a company CEO screaming at his employees. The list is endless but the danger goes far beyond the immediate angst experienced by those of us on the receiving end. See my comments on this in an earlier post (link here).
The biggest problem with leaders losing their cool is that decisions they make will probably be wrong and the effects long lasting. Leaders are expected to thoroughly research problems and will expend great amounts of resources in time, money, and expertise to ensure the right decision is made. Leaders who have lost their cool make decisions based on their immediate emotional state. The results are often regrettable.
A few days ago at the Women’s March in Washington D.C., entertainers Lady Gaga and Ashley Judd, among others, said negative things that generated a lot of comment. Both were involved in an anti-Trump rant; both lost their cool and, yes, they are leaders in their own right. People listen to what they say, sometimes actually believe it, and then ordinary, everyday people act upon it. That same day, a woman was kicked off a plane for ranting at a passenger who voted for Trump.1
When you as a leader find yourself in that situation – one where you’re losing your cool – you will recognize it yourself (most of us will any way). The best advice is to stop doing what you’re doing even if it makes you look stupid. Better stupid now than regrettable later.
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