I was asked during a networking event this week about some of the things I look for when I evaluate a candidate for a client.
My answers were honest and appropriate based on the current marketplace.
One of the things I failed to mention, however, is the importance of emotional composure. I can’t emphasize this enough.
Let’s bring this home… 👇
Years ago, I had a great meeting with the Director of HR for a well-known dairy company.
The chemistry was positive, the role fit perfectly within my wheelhouse, the company had an attractive growth trajectory, and the Director was someone I knew I would enjoy working with. All good signs.
I left thinking that the role was mine to fill.
But I am reminded that perception and reality are distant cousins for a reason.
I proceeded to follow up several times requesting clarity on the final decision (Side bar: always err on the side of moderation).
She ended up going with another agency/recruiter for the search.
This is normally where self-reflection kicks in.
The meeting was a success—so much so that it felt like she was trying to convince me to take the partnership. But my conduct after the fact was not demonstrative of a key partner for an organization with a jet-pack strapped to its back.
How emotionally composed was I throughout that process? The answer is: not much.
I felt entitled to an answer, failing to accept the competing variables involved on their end.
I did not give the Director a chance to do what she said she would do (i.e., follow up with me). After all, she owed me an answer, right? Didn’t she know how far I drove, or that I wore my best suit?
Tenacity can be a professional’s greatest asset, but I learned from that experience that emotional composure—or poise during moments of pressure and uncertainty—is what separates the good from the great.
I failed to realize that I was being judged at every single step of the process.
Your Takeaway:
🎯 Don’t make the decision easy for a leader by allowing your emotions to blur your sound judgment.