“We are just as strong as any man. Yet with generous intellect, we are also plagued with emotion. Emotion can be stronger then intelligence, and so it comes to pass that we are often our own demise.” ~ Female author unknown
I’m feeling particularly ambivalent about this quote.
While I am an avid believer in the fact that we ARE women and often DO roar, I have to disagree with the premise that emotion can become our own demise.
It’s common knowledge that women are generally more emotional than their counterparts, what with all that estrogen & such. Yet I raise the argument that this is not a hindrance but rather a resource.
Yeah, I said it. Female emotions are a resource.
Think about it. With our innately heightened emotions, women are capable of increasing their levels of output in a variety of areas that are ultimately as useful in business as they are at home;
- Use of intuitive decision-making
- Loads of empathy
- Loyalty in client and personal relationships (often successful at balancing the two)
- Heightened sensitivity to the source of challenges or potential problems
- The ability to commit (to relationships, to projects, to employers, to contracts, etc.)
- Open-mindedness to compromise and win-win negotiations
- Dedication to flexible work arrangements, maternity/paternity needs and safety regulations
- Patience & instinct for nurturing tasks, projects, trainees or obligations
- Passion for the cause (whatever that may be today)
What poses a challenge is when emotion runs ramped. Creating habits that increase awareness…and therefore control…of emotions can ensure keeping those buggers in check.
Building habits that keep emotions in check:
- Streamline the Multi-tasking – By natural tendency, women can juggle a variety of items both mentally and physically. We may not be happy about it, but we’re fully capable. The thing is, the stress of taking on too much tends to creep up before we know it. Practice taking inventory of the projects at hand and learn to say NO to the items that arise before completing the current list.
- Avoid Gossip – Women are natural communicators, and while this is often a bonus in the relationship-building department, gossip is not only a time waster but also a big deterrent to fair and truthful game play.
- Balance Intuition with Caution – Taking risks is a necessary part of using intuition but exercising the ability to weigh risk with danger is a useful skill for both negotiation and safety.
- Know When to Quit – Commitment to an employee, employer or project is an asset, until it depletes you of precious time, money or other resources. Recognize when to cut the losses and begin again elsewhere having learned something along the way.
- Maintain Focus – Practice meditation, listen more than you speak, choose direct routes (in both transits and in conversations), fuel your body with brain food and remember to breathe.
How has female emotion been a useful resource in your own experience?