Stay Clear of the Walking Dead

Zombies are scary mainly because:

- They do not care about you or your happiness whatsoever

- They want to snack on your brain

If you remember, business is about relationships and the essential predictor of leadership success is caring about other people, or empathy.

This makes you think about the kinds of people you want to be in business with. Do you really want to “get in bed” with a zombie?

Can you really trust someone to be honest with you and do what they say they are going to do, or are they more focused on what you have to offer in the short term in terms of profit (i.e., eat your brains)? Are they capable of caring about other people?

The profit making part of the business relationship is admittedly very important; but once you get past this, are you going to be happy doing business with someone like this? Wouldn’t it be great to be financially successful and happy with people you are working with (i.e., non-zombies)?

In fact, an important question to ask is, what are the chances of sustained financial success with a zombie? A relationship such as this will be a nervy one, one that can change drastically and dramatically when they tell you their real motivation (i.e., eating your brain).

Basically, what we are talking about here is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence describes an ability, capability, skill, or self-perceived ability to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups. In general, men tend to be less savvy about it than women. But this is not an excuse to miss the opportunity to be happier and more successful. Wouldn’t you be better off if you were really emotionally intelligent?

These are examples of The Walking Dead

- They do not do what they say they are going to do

- They hardly respond to introductions by mutual friends

- They really act like they do not care about you or your goals

CEOs and business leaders, in particular, have incredible demands on them. It is easy to see why they will be guarded with their time, especially regarding who they spend it with. However, if the sustainability of a business’ success depends on successful relationships, then wouldn’t it be better to avoid acting like a zombie to those who matter?

It is therefore important to:

1. Ensure your emotional intelligence (especially empathy) quota is high. This will pay off in your business and personal life

2. Be sure to access the emotional intelligence (or lack of it) in those you are considering doing business with or employing

3. The zombies just want to eat your brain. Fear the Walking Dead. Run away as fast as you can.

PAT Consulting can help your organization find robust solutions in the area of mental health and wellbeing. We can also help in the area of emotional intelligence for more sustained relationships. Contact us today at info@patnigeria.com.