Ep 194 - "Keep Your Cool: Leading Under Pressure"

In this episode of Head, Heart, and Boots, Brandon and I wrestle with one of the most difficult leadership disciplines to master: staying emotionally grounded when everything around you feels chaotic. We talk candidly about the emotional whiplash of entrepreneurship, how quickly even the best intentions and plans can get derailed by fires, and why reactivity quietly destroys momentum inside growing companies.

Brandon shares his commitment to becoming a more stoic, stabilizing force for his teams - not by ignoring problems, but by slowing down, asking better questions, and anchoring decisions to a clear plan instead of emotion. We unpack how leaders unintentionally drag their teams through emotional cycles, why delayed gratification makes strategic work so hard to stick with, and how confidence is built by returning to the plan when pressure rises.

This conversation is practical, uncomfortable, and deeply relatable for anyone leading people, managing clients, or trying to grow a business without burning themselves - or their team - to the ground.

Hope you enjoy.

Chris

Why You Should Listen

[00:02:17] Why emotional volatility - not lack of intelligence or effort - derails more leaders than bad strategy

[00:04:53] How even well-thought-out plans collapse when leaders default to reaction instead of discipline

[00:07:20] Why delayed gratification is one of the hardest skills in entrepreneurship - and how to stay committed long enough to see results

[00:15:25] How slowing down, asking better questions, and refusing to emotionally “side up” can defuse client and team chaos

[00:21:13] Why being a calm, steady presence builds trust, confidence, and long-term momentum inside your organization

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