Are You Emotionally Mature?

Greetings Leaders!

If there is anything that I have seen torpedo someone’s career quicker than you can blink an eye, it is emotional immaturity. Emotional immaturity is easy to recognize. Have you seen these things in your office?

1. The emotional ranter: An inappropriate emotional response given the situation. You know, the person who speaks with a loud voice to ensure that everyone in the building hears them – all the while pretending like you’re having a private conversation.
2. The two page email: Emails can be useful. However, I still cringe when I think of those two page emails that I sometimes get. Usually from someone either trying to point the finger (away from themselves), cover their you know what, or just plain gossip.
3. One-up manship: Ever work with someone that had to have the last word? No matter what!.
4. Yawn – The long dissertation: I know you’ve been there. The meeting that should’ve taken 5 minutes, but 45 minutes later you’re still listening to something reminiscent of the teacher in Charlie Brown. Blah Blah Blah. This person just needs to hear the sound of their voice to ensure that they are important.
5. The scolding teacher: We all mess up. Yet instead of taking time to help someone get better, the scolding teacher will ensure that the “student” knows that they’ve been bad. There are lots of ways to correct mistakes, but scolding should be reserved for 3 and 4 year olds.
6. Chronic quitter: Every time something doesn’t go their way, the threaten to quit. My advice…. let them.

To ensure you are emotionally mature, you need to become a student of yourself. You should constantly monitor people’s reaction to how you present yourself. Here are some general rules to ensure that you are displaying emotional maturity.

1. Don’t raise your voice. Be calm and focused.
2. Avoid gossip and gossipers.
3. Learn how to run effective meetings.
4. If you have to send an email over a paragraph long, pick up the phone instead.
5. Never write an email when you’re upset – don’t use the “caps” button. If you really want to send it, wait until the next morning before hitting the send button.
6. Never, ever, clean up your office to make it look like you’re quitting. Never threaten to quit. Either stay, or quit… but never threaten your company.
7. Counsel those that make constant mistakes, don’t berate them.
8. If you’re tempted to have the last word…. don’t.
9. Disagree without being disagreeable.
10. If you think you’re always right – you aren’t.

All the Best! All the Time,
JT

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