Oftentimes when young professionals or junior execs approach me for advice, they ask, “When you were starting out, what do you wish you knew sooner?” I always come back to this.

Anger doesn’t sharpen your judgment. Neither does frustration. Neither does ego. Call them passion or intensity if it helps you sleep better at night, but let’s not kid ourselves. Negative emotions ruin outcomes.

Most emotions in business don’t help. They muddy your thinking, distort your perspective, and make tough challenges tougher. But there are two emotions that do belong in the workplace. I am talking about pride and gratitude. Definitely not the flashy kind. Not the shallow kind. I mean the grounded kind. The kind of pride you feel solving something meaningful alongside talented teammates. The deep gratitude you feel toward people who consistently show up, do the work, and make everyone around them better.

This isn’t just a nice-to-have. It matters when you’re building with people you trust. It matters even more when you find yourself dealing with external partners or vendors who don’t think like you, who didn’t choose to be on your project, and who probably don’t even like your working style. Especially then.

Let’s be clear. Business is defined by outcomes. And emotions shape outcomes far more directly than we like to admit. Leave frustration unchecked and it becomes tension. Allow egos into the room and they will trigger power struggles dressed up as alignment meetings. You know the ones. Heavy rooms. Flat energy. Passive aggression quietly strangling productivity. These hidden frictions drain your ability to deliver real results. They blur clarity, obscure accountability, and turn already hard tasks into outright messes.

The opposite is equally true. When you are emotionally grounded, your effectiveness multiplies. I am not talking about being cold or robotic. I am talking about calm. Composure in the face of pressure. Clarity when tensions rise. Generosity precisely when generosity isn’t expected. Great leaders and effective collaborators know how to prevent emotion from hijacking their purpose. They create spaces of clear-headedness, trust, and respect.

People gravitate toward calm strength. They trust those who remain steady in uncertainty, who listen without defensiveness, who communicate clearly even when it’s uncomfortable. That emotional maturity breeds psychological safety. It gives your team the confidence and focus they need to excel. It helps them cut through distractions and focus on the work.

To be clear, this kind of emotional discipline is not about pretending feelings do not exist. It means channeling the right emotions strategically. Pride in accomplishments builds motivation, sets high standards, and drives exceptional work. Gratitude strengthens trust, deepens bonds, and builds teams that endure.

Let’s be real. After all, you are human. I am human. Emotions will surface. But if your goal is sustained success, the kind that builds real momentum over time, then you have to consciously manage your emotional landscape. Ultimately, you start by holding yourself accountable first. Clear your emotional noise and everyone else in the room follows your lead.

Leave tension and ego at the door. Hold onto the pride that comes from meaningful wins. Protect your gratitude for those who help you achieve them. This is how trust is built. This is how teams endure. This is how the work moves forward.

Be kind to each other.