Be Artful With Your Anger

Yep, that’s what my all-time favorite mentor said many years ago, and I’ve found that advice tremendously helpful ever since. As a leader, you're going to encounter many stressful and frustrating situations. So, what do you do with that frustration and anger when it arises?

Firstly, you need to feel OK about feeling angry. Growing up I was taught that all anger was bad and that I should try not to feel angry. Turns out this is terrible advice. Anger is as normal and healthy as any of your other feelings. It's just energy that can be pointed in some direction or other.

So, once you feel angry, what do you do next? That is the $1,000,000 question. You can impulsively throw a tantrum (ready, fire, aim), attack other people and destroy relationships, or you can use that anger in a constructive way to achieve your business goals and to be happier.

Let's say you make a bad business decision that costs you money. You could impulsively criticize yourself for a “boneheaded move,” and then you’d find yourself feeling humiliated, depressed, and lethargic. Alternatively, you could take a moment, remind yourself that if you’re not making mistakes you’re not learning and growing your skillset, and then use that anger to correct the problem. At the end of the day, if you’re not failing sometimes, you aren’t taking enough risk to optimize sustainable financial results in your business.

Being artful with your anger usually entails pausing before acting. That's the old “count to 10 before you say anything” maxim. Integrating your thinking and emotions to make the best decisions is one of the most important skills you can develop in life.

So, when things don't go the way you want them to, celebrate that anger that can give you the energy to make positive changes in your business and in your life, i.e., be artful with your anger.

Don’t be a stranger. (770) 993-1129, tdockery@TheResolveFirm.com