There is a lot of discussion about business controls, for good reason. They are important. What is missing is discussion about personal controls, which are also important.
1. Control Your Emotions
Business would be easy if it were not for all the people. But, business is all about people. It’s about the people who work for you and the people you serve. People can be frustrating. When someone frustrates you, it is all too easy to lose your cool.
People are also fragile. When you lose your cool, you damage your employee or customer, your company, and yourself.
As a business leader, you want to appear steady and unflappable. Every emotion you display gets magnified, for good or bad. So take note, if you show fear, your team feels terror.
There are times when it might be useful to show anger to drive home a point. However, you only want to show anger when you are completely calm.
Remember, your team will take their cue from you. Display a positive outlook even when you do not feel optimistic. It’s contagious. People are attracted to positive, optimistic people. Be one.
2. Control Your EgoNever assume you are the smartest guy in the room. It is far better to assume everyone else is smarter. Certainly, everyone has something to teach you,
After all, chances are, you are not as good as you think you are. Just because you are the boss does not mean you are always right. If you are open to the possibility that you might be wrong, you will be wrong far less often.
It is far better to approach the world with an attitude of humility than one of superiority. Control your ego. Do not let your ego control you.
3. Control Your Time
Time is finite. You cannot manufacture more. Also, it expires. It disappears. Once gone, it is gone forever. If you do not make a conscious effort to control your time, others will try to control it for you. They will take it from you. They will take it with interruptions, with drama, with the desire to involve you in their problems.
Controlling your gratification means controlling your personal spending and enjoyment. Instead of splurging on a new bass boat, consider investing in the business. Delay the gratification while you build your business. You can attain a
It is like the fable of the grasshopper and the ant. The ant stored up food for the winter. The grasshopper did not. You know the outcome. Things worked out for the ant because it delayed its gratification.