Encouraging Emotional Adaptability

One of the most important skills that one needs as a founder, and surprisingly, no one talks about it enough, is emotional intelligence (EQ). While we focus on growing our business, we neglect the very thing that can make or break our success: our ability to understand and manage emotions, both our own and those of others. It allows you to: - Create a positive company culture - Communicate effectively - Lead with empathy and - Navigate conflicts Here are 5 ways that helped me improve my EQ: 1. I pay attention to my emotions and how they affect my behavior and decisions. Regularly check in with yourself and be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. 2. In conversations, I try to focus on understanding others rather than just waiting to speak. The key is to listen for the underlying nonverbal cues, not just the words one says. 3. When faced with conflicts or challenging situations, I step back before reacting. This way, I can respond constructively and not impulsively to resolve the challenge. 4. This one takes time. Put yourself in others' shoes and try to understand their POV and feelings. It builds trust, strengthens relationships, and helps you lead with compassion. 5. Start seeing critics as opportunities for growth and not personal attacks. Seek out feedback from your team, mentors, and friends to improve yourself. Building your EQ is the best thing you can do for yourself, your team, and your business in the long run. #leadership #emotionalintelligence #mindset #growth

Memoirs of a Gully Boys Episode 37: #EmotionalIntelligence – The Key to Meaningful Leadership Leadership isn’t just about strategy and execution; it’s about understanding, connecting with, and inspiring people. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize and manage not only your emotions but also those of others. Over the years, I’ve learned that while technical skills can get you started, it’s emotional intelligence that keeps you ahead. Leading with Empathy During a critical system overhaul, one of my most skilled team members began missing deadlines and appearing disengaged. Instead of reprimanding him, I called for a private conversation. It turned out he was struggling with a personal issue that was affecting his focus. Rather than pushing harder, I offered him flexibility and reassigned some tasks to lighten his load. Within weeks, his performance rebounded, and his gratitude translated into renewed dedication to the project. Lesson 1: Empathy isn’t a weakness in leadership—it’s the strength that builds loyalty and trust. The Art of Active Listening In a client negotiation years ago, tensions were high due to differing expectations. The meeting began with both sides defensive and unwilling to compromise. Instead of countering every point, I focused on actively listening to their concerns without interrupting. Once they felt heard, their stance softened, and we found common ground to move forward. That day, I realized that listening is not just about hearing words—it’s about understanding emotions, intentions, and the bigger picture. Lesson 2: Active listening dissolves barriers and creates pathways for collaboration. Regulating Emotions in High-Stress Situations During a complex software migration, an unexpected system failure triggered panic among stakeholders. As the project lead, I felt the pressure mounting. However, instead of reacting impulsively, I paused, analyzed the situation, and communicated a clear action plan. Keeping emotions in check not only reassured the team but also set the tone for a calm and focused recovery effort. The project was back on track within days, and the team’s confidence grew as a result. Lesson 3: Emotional regulation isn’t about suppressing feelings—it’s about channeling them effectively to lead under pressure. The Power of Recognition Emotional intelligence also lies in recognizing and appreciating people’s contributions. During a grueling project, I made it a point to acknowledge every team member’s effort, no matter how small. The simple act of recognition boosted morale and created a sense of shared ownership. When the project was completed successfully, the celebration felt more collective than individual—a testament to the power of emotional intelligence in fostering unity. Lesson 4: Recognition fuels motivation and strengthens connections within teams. Closing Thoughts Emotional intelligence is the bridge between leadership and humanity. To be continued...

Leading in uncertain times is a hot topic today in business as we face a compounding set of unknowns: tariffs, inflation, volatility in our financial markets, the ongoing climate crisis, supply chain disruptions, global conflicts, and the advent of AI to name just a few. Whether you are an operator, investor or board member, I wanted to share a few of my approaches to dealing with the reality we are facing, and I would love your thoughts in response: 1. First, for me, is to remain consistent and committed to our company values. At PSP Partners, we express ours as IDEALS--Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, Alignment, Leadership and Service. Your teams want to know that during uncertainty you will make hard decisions that are grounded in your core values. 2. Radical honesty is critical. Bringing your leadership team to a point of embracing the reality of the landscape that your organization is facing is an essential foundation to then figuring out the vulnerabilities. 3. Ensuring that your balance sheet is strong to weather the difficult periods as well as to have the opportunity to play offense is more essential than ever. 4. Regular scenario planning and pressure testing various outcomes is essential to manage and mitigate risk; it is all the more important right now. This is also known as “red teaming” and it’s a critical thing to do. 5. Being curious about your blind spots and institutional biases will help create an environment where you and your team can safely challenge assumptions. 6. Overcommunicating with your management team and to your company as a whole have never been more needed. Remember it takes about 7 times for a message to break through. Don’t be afraid to repeat it over and over. 7. Embracing the idea that challenges also create unique and unexpected opportunities is so important. During uncertainty the best companies create extraordinary opportunity and returns for the long term. 8. A strong, innovative and resilient culture is always foundational and especially essential to navigating the current challenges. The CEO and your leadership team have to set the example.  

My ex-colleague, Neha, was so emotional that she literally cried if anyone disagreed with her. However she was also kind, hardworking, and caring. She always helped her teammates, listened to their problems, and kept the team happy. Clients liked her too because she was polite and understanding. But when it was time for a promotion, one senior manager said, “Neha is too emotional. Can she handle pressure?” Her team leader, Rajeev, replied, “Yes, she is emotional—but that is her strength. She listens, helps others, and doesn’t get into office politics. Our team is happy because of her.” The management listened. Neha got promoted. Later, she helped her company start a mental wellness program and became a guide for many younger employees. Dear Companies: -> Respect Emotional People: They make the team stronger and more united. ->Train Managers: Teach leaders how to understand and support emotional employees. ->Support Mental Health: Give employees access to counselling or relaxation sessions. ->Reward Kindness: Appreciate those who help others and work with a clean heart. ->Say No to Office Politics: Make rules clear and fair so no one needs to play dirty games. Dear Emotional Employees, ->Be Proud of Your Feelings: Your kindness is a gift—use it well. ->Set Limits: Help others, but don’t forget to take care of yourself. ->Ask for Feedback: Check how others see you, and improve if needed. ->Stay Mentally Strong: Try meditation or journaling to manage stress. ->Make Good Connections: Avoid office politics, but stay friendly and helpful. In today’s fast-moving workplaces, emotional employees bring heart, balance, and honesty. Instead of seeing them as weak, companies should understand their real value. These employees care about people, avoid drama, and often become the quiet strength of a team. When they feel respected and supported, they give their best—and help others do the same. A workplace that values emotions is not just kind, it is smarter. #emotionalwellbeing #mentalhealth #leadership

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 A tight deadline. A demanding client. A last-minute change that turns your work upside down. We’ve all been there. Stressful situations at work are unavoidable. But how you handle them? That’s where real professionalism shines. I’ve seen two types of responses: 🚩 Person A: Panics, gets defensive, blames external factors. ✅ Person B: Stays composed, finds solutions, keeps communication clear. Guess who earns more trust, credibility, and respect? Here’s what I’ve learned about maintaining professionalism under stress: 🔹 1. Pause Before Reacting When things go wrong, our first instinct is to react instantly. Instead, take 10 seconds to process the situation before responding. Your tone, body language, and words matter more than you think. 🔹 2. Control What You CAN You can’t control last-minute client demands or an overflowing inbox, but you can control: ✔ Your response time ✔ The way you communicate ✔ Your ability to prioritize and delegate 🔹 3. Keep Your Emotions in Check (Even When Others Don’t) If a colleague or client is frustrated, demanding, or even rude, don’t mirror their energy. Stay calm. Stay professional. Nothing diffuses tension like a composed response. 🔹 4. Focus on Solutions, Not the Problem Instead of saying: 🚫 “This isn’t possible. We don’t have enough time.” Try: ✅ “Given the deadline, here’s what we CAN do and how we can adjust.” 🔹 5. Your Reputation = How You Handle Tough Moments People don’t just remember your work—they remember how you made them feel in stressful moments. A calm, professional attitude builds trust and opens doors to bigger opportunities. At the end of the day, professionalism isn’t just about doing great work—it’s about how you handle the tough parts too. #Professionalism #CareerGrowth #Leadership

He's not having an easy time of it, Red Bull Racing's Liam Lawson. He's basically living every high performer's dream and nightmare, all wrapped into one. https://lnkd.in/eXgBA5tn He's on the grid, he made it to the big team, but the pressure is intense. The media are absolutely relentless in their scrutiny of his results. As they say, F1 is not a finishing school, and two race weekends in speculation about his seat has already started. How do you deal with pressure? You may not be driving a 350 kph racing machine, but maybe you're a first-time manager, wanting to prove yourself after a promotion, or operating in an environment where mistakes are very visible. The context is different, but the neuroscience is the same. Under extreme pressure, your brain’s threat detection system (i.e. the amygdala) goes on high alert. It can trigger a stress response, even when you're not physically in danger (just mentally overwhelmed). This makes it harder to access your prefrontal cortex, which is the part of your brain responsible for clarity, decision making, and problem solving. So how do you stay cool when you feel like the whole world is waiting for you to fail? There's no silver bullet, but neuroscience provides some answers. 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭: 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁. Label the feeling. Say 'I’m feeling anxious' or 'This feels like a high-stakes moment'. Naming emotions, saying them out loud, immediately takes away some of their power. You will reduce their intensity, and it will help bring your prefrontal cortex back online. 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮: 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀. When we're feeling pressured it can make us us want to prove everything, all at once. But performance improves when we reduce the noise, and focus on just one or two controllable variables. For Liam that might be consistency through corners. For you it might be preparing your pitch, or delivering a high quality report. 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯: 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲. This one's the hardest, especially when you are truly invested in what you're doing. Things will either work out, or they won't. You will still exist as a person. You are not the outcome. Losing doesn't make you a loser. The brain performs much better when it sees setbacks as data, and not a threat to your worth. You are not your pitch, your report, or your lap time. So whether you're on the F1 grid or in the boardroom, the principle is the same: You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to the level of your training. Don't forget to train your mind. #HighPerformance | #Mindset | #F1 | #ChineseGP

As professionals, we inevitably face moments where we feel our emotions will make us overreact or "lose it". And, even though it would be helpful, we can't just leave our emotions at home or pretend situations at work don't affect us. This is why we need to learn to navigate these moments with grace and composure. Here are some that I find helpful: 1️⃣ Instead of overreacting in the heat of the moment, ask if it's possible to take some time. You could say, "Can we pick this up in a bit? I need some time to gather my thoughts." Excuse yourself and find a quiet place to regain composure. If you feel you're too emotional, use this breathing technique to calm down: - Inhale deeply, filling your lungs completely. - Hold your breath for a comfortable count. - Exhale slowly and fully. 2️⃣ We can acknowledge our emotions by clearly naming how we're feeling. This could be to ourselves or to the person we're talking with: "This situation makes me feel very stressed, so let me please think it through." Identifying our emotions is the first step toward managing them effectively. We will go from feeling to knowing, so our mental shift will change and we will be more empowered. 3️⃣ When we get overheated, we subconsciously talk to ourselves. Here's where we need to train our mind to work in our favor: Avoid future-oriented negative statements like "I won’t cry" or "I’m not going to let this get to me." Instead, use empowering present-tense affirmations: "I am calm." "I am collected." "I am in control." These affirmations help ground you in the present and reinforce your ability to handle the situation. Remember, it's not about hiding or suppressing our emotions, it's about learning to manage them when they arise and let other people know that despite our emotions we can be collected and respectful. Good luck and let me know if you've had such situations? And, is there's anything you'd add to the list? #emotionsatwork #linkedinnewseurope

𝟯 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 "You're ex-McKinsey, you'll easily get coaching clients!" Some friends exclaimed when I told them in 2014 that I was leaving consulting to become a Career Coach. Even though my brain skeptically waved a red flag, my heart was rooting for the fairy tale. I secretly hoped their words would magically come true. Spoiler: they didn't! Indeed, the McKinsey & Company brand cracked open a few doors, but I had to carve out my coaching practice and reputation with relentless dedication and persistence! Being a good consultant was one thing, but coaching? That’s a different arena. I had to drastically upgrade my arsenal: - Certifications Galore: Transitioning from consulting charts to human hearts, I got certified with ICF, Marshall Goldsmith, and others to polish my coaching skills to a reflective sheen. - Psychology Buff: With an engineering background, the realm of psychology felt like uncharted waters. I plunged in, learning Transactional Analysis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and more to bridge the gap. - Tool Mastery: Thanks to my engineering plus consulting lineage, I adore working with tools and assessments. I dived into certifications for MBTI, STRONG, HOGAN, etc., turning them into my new gadgets. After a decade and maybe 8-10 more certifications, I've cemented my place as a Career Coach. If you’re contemplating a career transition, remember: 1. Brand has a shelf life; past glory fades quickly. While great work done in the past can be leveraged and can give you some good karma points, it has its own shelf life. On one hand, you need to move fast, get traction leveraging that shelf life, at the same time remember that you must keep producing great work.     2. Transitions take an emotional toll. Career transitions, especially from mid-career onwards, are full-fledged projects. One needs to plan things well—not just finances, but also emotions. Just like entrepreneurship, the initial days in a new role can take a huge emotional toll. Do not hesitate to ask for support when needed. 3. Clarity is an accelerator. Having 100% clarity on what you want in life might be asking too much, but the more clarity you have, the faster you will settle into the new role/endeavor. Invest enough time to get clarity. You will only thank yourself for spending this time. Navigating career transitions is like charting unexplored territories. Each journey is unique and filled with lessons waiting to be discovered. What’s your story? Have you ever embarked on a significant career change, or are you considering one now? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. Let's learn from each other and build a community of support and inspiration. P.S Picture Credit - Thanks to my annual office cupboard clean up drive yesterday! #CareerTransition #CareerCoaching #LifeAfterConsulting

Imagine you are holding a cup of tea. And someone pushes you, and the tea spills everywhere. So if someone asks, “What happened?” You will say someone pushed me, so the tea spilled. However, the truth is that whatever is in the cup will spill. Similarly, in difficult times in our lives, we spill whatever is inside us. Whatever the emotions—anger, love, happiness, or patience - may be. But remember, it's not the external push alone that's causing this spill; it's what's already inside you. These emotions are a part of your experience, your history, and your humanity. Remember these guidelines whenever you encounter a challenging situation: 1. Acknowledge Your Emotions: The first step is to acknowledge what you're feeling. Instead of denying or suppressing your emotions, allow them to surface. 2. Reflect on the Content: Take a moment to reflect on what's coming out. Are there patterns in your reactions? Is there something you need to address or work on? Use this insight to identify areas of personal growth. 3. Practice Emotional Resilience: Now that you've acknowledged and reflected on your emotions, it's time to build emotional resilience. Just as you might clean up the spilled tea, you can take steps to manage your emotions constructively. 4. Choose Positive Responses: When life pushes you, you have a choice in how you respond. Instead of allowing negative emotions to dictate your actions, consciously choose positive responses. 5. Self-Care and Healing: Engage in self-care practices that nourish your mind, body, and soul. This could involve exercise, spending time in nature, practicing hobbies, or seeking professional help if needed. 6. Learn and Grow: Just as you can refill the cup after the spill, you can rebuild your emotional well-being. Learn from the experience, develop coping mechanisms, and emerge stronger. Learn how to navigate tough times with resilience and self-discovery. Discover the power of acknowledging, reflecting, and choosing positive responses. #EmbraceTheSpills #GrowThroughChallenges #EmotionalResilience #SelfDiscovery #PositiveResponses

Protecting Your Peace Starts With Protecting Your Space As a mental health consultant, I often remind my clients: well-being isn’t just shaped by what you do, it’s also influenced by who you surround yourself with. Even when you’re grounded, certain interactions can leave you feeling drained or unsettled. You may notice it in subtle ways: ❌ A colleague who constantly interrupts ❌ Conversations that linger long after they’re over ❌ A pattern of walking away feeling unheard or unsure Protecting your peace doesn’t always mean cutting people off. Sometimes, it’s about small shifts that create space for clarity. Here are a few gentle strategies I often recommend: 1. Stay neutral: If something feels off, you don’t need to challenge it. Try: “That’s an interesting point of view. It creates space without creating tension. 2. Set clear, kind boundaries: You can say: “I’d love to revisit this when I have more capacity.” You’re allowed to limit access to your time and energy. Because boundaries aren’t barriers, they’re bridges to healthier communication. 3. Pause before reacting: A deep breath gives you time to choose your response, not just react to the moment. 4. Step away with grace: Not every moment needs a resolution. Sometimes, silence is strength.  No sarcasm. No confrontation. Just peace. 5. Ask thoughtful questions:  If something feels unclear, ask: “Could you explain that a bit more?” OR “Can you clarify what you mean?” It invites clarity and lowers emotional intensity. 6. Protect your internal space: Remember Not everything needs to be absorbed, You can acknowledge without internalizing. Picture their energy bouncing off, not seeping in. Because, not every emotion is yours to absorb. Protect your mental space. 7. Release the need to ‘fix’: You’re not responsible for everyone’s behavior.   Save your energy for growth, and not overcompensation, save your energy for people who value it. 8. Stay emotionally steady: Calm is not passive, trust me it’s powerful!  A grounded presence often speaks louder than any argument. Your peace is personal. Protect it like you would anything valuable. What’s one way you’ve learned to maintain your emotional balance in tricky spaces?