Leading With Feelings Can Hurt Your Business

Thoughts, feelings and behaviours are interconnected parts that make up and reveal a person's personality. A person can succeed or fail in life and business depending on which of three is allowed to lead.

Those who lead with their feelings can experience several different types of problems:

1. They might make impulsive decisions - How many times have you gone shopping without any intent of spending more than a fixed amount yet end up coming home with something that you purchased impulsively? Marketers are excellent at attracting your attention and encouraging you to buy things that you never previously even thought you might need. Those who lead with their feelings can make impulsive decisions, many of which they regret later.

2. They may allow others to influence them - If you are worried about the impression that other people have of you, there are likely many times that you do things with the hope that others will like you. Your desire to be liked and fear that you won't be can motivate you to do things that you might not do if you didn't allow your feelings to dominate.

3. They make changes unnecessarily - When the outer layer of a grain of wheat cracks and flakes off it is called chaff. The wind comes and the chaff is blown in that direction. Then the wind direction changes and the chaff blows in the new direction. At the same time, the grain itself has weight and falls to the ground. When you lead with your feelings you are like the chaff that can be blown all over the place without healthy control. It is better to be like the grain and, although you have some flexibility, your decisions have enough weight to not be blown around.

4. They might respond inappropriately - There are times that stress and tension can escalate a situation - especially if a client is upset. Business people who lead with their feelings often respond to others with anger, intimidation and rudeness. The result, of course is that they not only lose a customer, but also lose their reputation in the community.

People who lead with behaviours usually do things first and then think about their actions later - when they are already in trouble. The sad part is that once something is done it might not be easy or even possible to make appropriate corrections.

When you are running a business, it is best to lead with your thoughts. Have specific goals and plans that you can use to motivate you when your feelings and behaviours try to influence you to do things that can hurt your business.

There are days that I really don't want to get up early and go to the office. I do not, however, let my feelings win on this issue though. I stop myself from spending a day in bed - even if I am very tired.

You see, you need to allow your mind to think about the consequences and rewards before you allow your feelings or behaviours to get you into a negative pattern that will hurt your business.

The pattern that will likely bring you the most success is to think first, then do and finally feel good about your progress!