Today’s post is written by Heather Powell, Director of Customer Service & Project Manager at SafeSourcing Inc.

In my first blog, “What is Emotional Intelligence? Why It Should Matter in Any Business?”, I identified what emotional intelligence (EQ) is and how it applies to any business. In my second blog, “Emotional Intelligence in Action”, I explain the What, How, and Why the competencies of EQ work.  In my third blog, “Five Components of Emotional Intelligence and Your Business” I gave the basic definition of the five components of emotional intelligence. In my fourth blog “Self-Awareness in Your Business”, I provide a deeper explanation of Self-Awareness and how it applies to you as a leader and your business. In this installation, I will discuss the importance of the Emotional Intelligence component Self-Regulation and how it is important to you as a leader and to your organization.

“When emotions are running high, they certainly cannot be ignored – but they can be carefully managed. This is called self-regulation, and it’s the quality of emotional intelligence that liberates us from living like hostages to our impulses” (Goleman, 2015, pp1).

2). Self-regulation. The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods, and the propensity to suspend judgment and to think before acting.₁

a.) Hallmarks include trustworthiness and integrity; comfort with ambiguity; and openness to change.₁

An Example: ₃

Imagine an executive who has just watched a team of his employees present a botched analysis to the company’s board of directors. In the gloom that follows, the executive might find himself tempted to pound on the table in anger or kick over a chair. He could leap up and scream at the group. Or he might maintain a grim silence, glaring at everyone before stalking off.

If he had a gift for self-regulation, he would choose a different approach. He would pick his words carefully, acknowledging the team’s poor performance without rushing to any hasty judgment. He would then step back to consider the reasons for the failure. Are they personal—a lack of effort? Are there any mitigating factors? What was his role in the debacle? After considering these questions, he would call the team together, lay out the incident’s consequences, and offer his feelings about it. He would then present his analysis of the problem and a well-considered solution.

Self-regulation is important for competitive reasons. Everyone knows that business today is rife with ambiguity and change. Companies merge and break apart regularly. Technology transforms work at a dizzying pace. People who have mastered their emotions are able to roll with the changes. When a new program is announced, they don’t panic; instead, they are able to suspend judgment, seek out information, and listen to the executives as they explain the new program. As the initiative moves forward, these people are able to move with it.

“Like self-awareness, self-regulation often does not get its due. People who can master their emotions are sometimes seen as cold fish—their considered responses are taken as a lack of passion. People with fiery temperaments are frequently thought of as “classic” leaders—their outbursts are considered hallmarks of charisma and power. But when such people make it to the top, their impulsiveness often works against them. In my research, extreme displays of negative emotion have never emerged as a driver of good leadership” (Daniel Goleman, 2015_3).

Please stay tuned for the next blog on how internal motivation can help you and your business.

We enjoy bringing this blog to you every week and hope you find value in it. For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

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_References:

1. _{https://www.sonoma.edu/users/s/swijtink/teaching/philosophy_101/paper1/goleman.htm}
2. _{Goleman, D. (2015, July 26). Daniel Goleman: Self-Regulation: A star leader’s secret weapon [web log post]. Retrieved from: http://www.danielgoleman.info/daniel-goleman-self-regulation-a-star-leaders-secret-weapon/}
3. _{http://avalsethi.com/self-regulation-leadership/} 

Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant at SafeSourcing.

Have you ever wondered why some people find success while others don’t? Imagine there are two people doing the same kind of work, have worked the same amount of time, and work in the same area, yet one is far more successful. Now, let’s say one grew up in a distinguished neighborhood while the other did not. You may be thinking that that the one from a better neighborhood is most likely the more successful, but why?

People often associate a better upbringing with more success, which correlates to one’s ability to be successful themselves. Here is where correlation and causation become blurred. Often in our society, we deem that being raised by a successful community means one is more likely to be successful. But is it what causes success?

Now, what if I told you that of the two workers mentioned above, the one with the more successful business is the one from the less than distinguished neighborhood? You may be surprised because of how we correlate the two. One of the great things about our society is that there is often a chance for anyone to be successful, and coming from a disadvantageous background can cause more work, effort, and drive.

The case above is purely hypothetical, but demonstrates the difference between causation and correlation. Just because two things are correlated, does not mean one thing actually causes the other. Finding success can often mean seeking new ways of reaching people in business. This thinking outside the box mentality can help broaden one’s foundation, allowing for further reaching success. One underutilized example is the ever growing e-procurement industry. This industry can help businesses in multiple facets, including service, retail, and manufacturing industries. It can open up resources to areas a business might not even know is there.

For more information on correlating and causing success within e-procurement, or information about our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

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