Cold Minds Vs. Warm Hearts in Business

As a female independent contractor, I know very well the dichotomy of being warm and friendly compared with having a cold mind. One cannot be self employed and be in business without learning the value and weaknesses of both approaches. They each have their place.

Cold minds belong in accounting, employee management, and business assessment. Use your inner murderer or murderess to get the job done. Use your power, your intellectual strengths, and your cold, calculating mind to assess work performance, overall revenue, and see the numbers and statistics objectively. Avoid using this strength with regard to client relations, public relations, human resources, solving individual employee problems, and anything else which might involve hurt feelings.

Warmth and friendliness belong in sales, marketing, public relations, client management, client acquisition, and in solving disputes. As much as we are headed to greater and newer technologies, your greatest business asset is your humanity. The human factor is the strongest asset you have and you must be able to use it properly. If your company is filled with type-A, cold-minded control freaks, you will really want to consider hiring several warm and bubbly receptionists and personal assistants in order to interact with the public and with your clientele. You do not want your company's cold-minded assets to also be a liability.

Your business needs both. It is good and proper that your company employ people who are right for the job. However, when you are doing this, remember the above truths and the fact that each method has its own place. You must hire with discretion and these personality traits really will shine in the appropriate areas of your company. While resumes are important and job experience is necessary, humans are capable of both warm-heartedness and cold-mindedness. Use this fact to turn your company into a lean, mean, efficient machine.

When there is ambiguity -- Sometimes, you will hire someone with a mix of these traits. In this instance, you will have to spend a great deal of office and out-of-office time with them to learn which method with which they are actually the most comfortable. You may do some rearranging of their position after they are in your business and you learn their strengths, but chances are: if they can use both methods with skill, they are likely to make you proud in whatever capacity they are employed.

In conclusion, remember the human aspect of your business. As technologically advanced as your company may be, your potential clients are not robots. Plan accordingly.