Member-only story
I’ll never forget my first real job — not the kind where I was just passing the time or working for a paycheck, but one where I was truly invested. It was at a small tech company, and I was working as a project manager. Back then, I thought I had it all figured out. I was organized, knew how to meet deadlines, and could manage multiple projects. But it didn’t take long to realize that technical skills alone weren’t enough.
The Wake-Up Call
The reality check came when I was assigned to lead a project involving several teams, each with its own priorities. As deadlines loomed and pressure mounted, tensions rose. People started pointing fingers when things didn’t go as planned.
While I tried to stay calm, inside I was frustrated. Why couldn’t everyone just do their job right? In one heated meeting, I snapped — not by yelling, but my irritation was evident in my tone and body language. After the meeting, my manager pulled me aside and said something that’s stayed with me ever since: “You’re good at what you do, but if you can’t control how you react to stress, you won’t go far.”
That was the moment I realized something had to change.
The Shift Toward Emotional Intelligence
