Over the years if there is a mistake I have repeatedly done as a manager and, which I regret, is losing my calm in certain instances.

Many employees feel that although they could have had a good job but they just couldn’t take the agitated, excitable, too-high-octane temperament of their boss.

To much intensity can wear employees down. While calmness is something employees can rarely get too much  of. The more, the better.

This makes good sense when you realise that, at its core, management is all about accomplishing work through others. Following are three reasons why calmness is a substantive managerial asset.

It’s reassuring.  Calmness inspires confidence. It’s a leadership style people want to follow. In most jobs you spend a lot of time with your boss. It’s only natural to want to feel comfortable about that — rather than having your stomach perpetually tied in knots

It creates a better environment to solve business problems.  It helps employees make good decisions. The best decisions are well-thought-out and analytical, calmly and rationally made. Impulsive decisions made in the heat of the moment are generally not the best way for any management to operate.

It’s conducive to loyalty and productivity. Employees respond well to calmness. Over the long term it’s a pleasant, easy attribute to work with. Employees are apt to remain loyal to a calm and effective manager……and long-term loyalty breeds productivity.

Then there’s the matter of staying calm in crisis. You remember Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger that landed his disabled aircraft in the Hudson River with flawless precision?

This is what Sullenberger shared in a recent article: “It wasn’t until about 90 seconds before we hit the water that I spoke to the passengers.
I wanted to be very direct. I didn’t want to sound agitated or alarmed. I wanted to sound professional. ‘This is the captain. Brace for impact!’ ”

Think about that. At a time when every second mattered and his every brain cell needed to be focused on a precise sequence of actions, the captain was mindful of the tone of his voice and the choice of his words. He understood what great leaders, great bosses know: their emotions are contagious.

Most managers won’t find themselves in Sully’s life-and-death situation, but they do face stress, pressure, deadlines and an occasional crisis. Some respond poorly; they may shut down or blow up, may be indecisive or rash, may cause panic, confusion and errors. Sadly, they may also fail to take responsibility for their own poor performance, blaming the circumstances instead.

Calmness isn’t one of those big qualities we tend to hear a lot about when speaking about managers and top executives and leaders. But it probably should be.