Feelings, Passions, and Leaders

Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch once said, "The most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire." For a person to rise up to the level of a leader, he has to make a commitment, which will be a part of his blood, making it hard for people to stop him. The feelings that are accompanied with that strong urge to do something big in life are what leaders are made of. So should leaders bring that fire and swaying scales of feelings along with them to work?

Most often leaders tend to but behind their mood swings, in order to concentrate on their work and not to let their work affected by the myriad emotions flying around. In the most controversial of the cases, we see that the top executives who have been involved in scams worth billions don't emote. They will be at peace and show as if nothing affects those -- most probably a trait which gives them the guts to indulge in malpractices of such degrees.

The world's richest man, Carlos Slim, retained his calm image even after Telcel was fined with a $1 billion lawsuit and facing hindrances from the government to enter the pay-TV market. Many times in high stake bids, its best to remain calm and composed. Another famous entrepreneur who keeps smiling despite tough times is Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google.

Even if an executive doesn't get the deal, they simply can't go around showing his grudge against the party which won the bid. It's just unprofessional. Ignoring the strong feelings helps the executive to focus more on the next deal and put in all his efforts to make up for whatever loss has been incurred. The worse way to address such fuelled feelings is to take it out on someone else--why should someone else pay just because you didn't get the tender, or your financer backed out at the last moment? In moment of crisis, it is important that the leaders are in control of their emotions, as a leader's attitude would be reflected in the attitude of those whom he leads. In order to be a leader emeritus, one should work on understanding the source for the feelings and let go of the ones destructive in nature. Leaders don't brood over failure, but spend time on how to overcome it and spring back into action.

By exercising self-control, not are you in awe of what is going on in your mind and your heart, but you are also able to control how things affect you. You can decide the priorities of the things that come in your life to make the difference between any other person and a leader.

When it comes to passion, E.M. Foster once said, "One person with passion is better that forty people merely interested." It is the fire within that keeps people burn and make things happen. Leaders don't leave that glow at home, but keep on putting more fuel to it to make the tiny idea that they bear, turn into great sculptures, and create a mark for them. But if their feelings act as a roadblock, it is better to keep them in the hiding, so as to move ahead and make lead the world.