It’s always fun to watch the playoff games ahead of the Super Bowl. One game proved to reinforce a valuable lesson for all of us and particularly those in business.
After losing to the Rams, Tom Brady was pressured by reporters as to whether he’d now be retiring. As a story in Inc. stated, his response was a lesson in emotional Intelligence – never base a permanent decision on a temporary emotion.
Making spur of the moment decisions are often necessary for leaders in emergency situations. However, in most cases, it’s better to defer making decisions until you have clearly weighed all your options.
I often speak with clients who have had a bad situation arise. Maybe it’s a lost sale or a problem with an associate. Their instincts to take certain steps may be right, but they could have a very negative impact. I always advise them to take their time and weigh all their options. As my mother used to say, “Tomorrow’s another day.” Great advice. Sleep on it. Don’t decide anything when you’re upset or tired. Get a good night’s sleep and then think about your choices and the possible results, both short and long term.
Whether or not you’re a fan of Tom Brady, he will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. And when it comes to how he handled the reporters after an emotionally exhaustive close loss, we should remember him for his emotional intelligence in this situation and take that piece of his playbook for our own.
Stephen
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