What Creole Cooking Can Teach You About Good Business

The “holy trinity” of creole cooking – onions, bell peppers and celery – is the savory foundation for all manner of delightful Louisiana dishes. Once you have this base, you can add more delectable ingredients to make a dish others will find irresistible.

In business, your “professional flavor base” – noticing, understanding and managing emotions – is the foundation for good business: sound decision making, getting results and influencing others.
 

Is Your Emotional Pantry Stocked With These Basics?
 

Noticing emotions: See what’s in the shopping basket

Can you accurately perceive others’ feelings?

Are you finely attuned to facial expressions, body language and tone of voice?

Can you easily recognize a wide range of emotions in yourself and others? (How many can you name?)
 

Understanding emotions: Know the flavors

Do you consciously discern the nuances of your (and others’) emotions: frustration vs anger, guilt vs shame, happiness vs contentment, kind vs nice?

Do you understand what triggers your emotions – primary as well as possible secondary and tertiary causes?

How well can you hold conflicting emotions?
 

Managing emotions: Adjust the temperature

Do you monitor your physical responses when you’re experiencing strong emotions?

What do you do to avoid passing your stress on to others?

How well can you defuse a tense moment, so that you can move forward productively? 
 

So, Will You Make Good Decisions, Get Meaningful Results And Influence Others?

Look in your “emotional pantry.”