I have to admit that I often refer business, projects, especially startups, all too often as my puppies ( I have breed sled dogs for a few decades) and I know / I experienced / Iheart this relation in spirit from other people too - they called often their projects their children . Some may think this is nice, others may consider it another cliche, but one thing is clear - projects for many people connected to emotions - and in my case for sure it is the case.
A Taboo?
I cannot count how often I heard. "Emotions in business are taboo" I always react with something like: "Really? -Why?"
I think it's ok - having feeling for almost everything as well for business and projects - and yes it depends on a person’s ability to handle their emotions. I think it is important to learn how to make the right decision, listing to your gut, while dealing with different kinds of challenges, emotions and feelings rather than suppressing those feelings? I firmly believe that it is absolutely okay to be emotional - even in business. It can be a healthy reaction to what you are experiencing. Instead of avoiding emotions, I would recommend avoiding the fixation on your initial expectations.
A comparison
Before I like to make a comparison to puppies (sled dogs) or children allow me to quote one of my role models - George Attla (George Attla III, the "Huslia Hustler" whose mushing achievements made him an Alaska rock star during the 1960s, '70s and '80s, died 2016 at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage)once he said once:
"The dog never makes a mistake. He is just a dog and he does what he does because he is a dog and thinks like a dog. It is you that makes the mistake because you haven't trained him to do what you want him to do when you want him to do it. And you haven't seen, understood, and fostered its bent, talent, disposition, and natural ability"
I think, a comparison with a young growing being like a puppy which should grow and become a sled dog for a certain position on a team (Link) or easier to understand for most people a young girl or boy fit in as a good example. A child doesn’t have to grow up to be a great athlete or a mathematical genius if they don’t feel like becoming one. What they need is not necessarily what the parent assumes they should or have to become. The tricky thing is prioritizing a child’s true interests, their likes, and abilities, not a parent’s sometimes selfish interests.
I hope you see the similarities to business, to design, and everything.
Emotions & Business
As stoic and as architect I would be the last person who would not stress that design and businesses shouldn't be based on planning, and this planning must be build on the insights, research, analysis of trends, own circumstances, performance and critical evaluation of our opportunities. in UX and Design we must ask and look for the 'Why', 'What', and 'How' to get touch the joy of use, the real business and users needs.
A good designer and leader supports an initial idea, and they embrace the power to modify that idea if changes are what make it feasible. In a way, an entrepreneur lets a business choose a vector for development.
Yes I admit emotions can create conflicts, crisis and can mesh with pure logical decision-making - but it can discover - can put a highlight on aspects or visions one haven't seen or realized so far. I firmly believe that when one is losing their passion about what they do, about their business, the best thing to do is to say goodbye conquer new frontiers and should try something completely new.
Acting with emotions or no emotions - with less or no burning fire in one's heart - it is a personal decision for one to make - but I would ask: Are you only doing it for money and reputation? Or because it fills something you like or love to do - because you are passionate about it?
Emotions & Empathy
Empathy is the ability to fully understand, mirror, then share another person’s expressions, needs, and motivations. Empathy enables us to understand not only our users’ immediate expectations or first or second view points, but also their hopes, fears, abilities, limitations, reasoning, and goals. It allows us to dig deep into understanding - increasing emotions and having empathy - to, for and of the users and create solutions that will not only solve A need, but effectively improve our users’ lives by removing unnecessary pain or friction.
Being More Empathic and Emotional
Watch, ask, and listen
- Improve your observation skills - view points, perspectives, ...
- Don’t be afraid asking others for their opinion, input, ...
- Learn to be a good listener - not only hearing, I mean listening, imaging, anticipating, ...
Be mindful of your own attitude, frame of mind, bias, preoccupation, prejudice, ...
Luckily, empathy is a skill that can be developed with practice. And it’s not just designers that should work on it - everyone can benefit from developing the skills required for connecting with others.
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