How would we expect the CEO or managers at such companies as Microsoft or Apple to react in an inflamed crisis situation? Indeed, how would we expect the president of the United States to react? We would expect high standards. Easy to say, one could say, if we have a phlegmatic temper and show self-restraint, discretion and patience. But what happens with those of us with a more sanguine excitable type temper? What do we do as none of the above restraints come easily to us through nature? Think about our last disagreement and how we reacted.
One example that is often given of the reaction of a US president with a sanguine personality in a crisis situation is that of F.D. Roosevelt. He was president of the United States from 1933 to 1945. Historians all agree that FDR had an open and sanguine type personality, but through upbringing, education and experience, this liveliness was tempered with a stress on politeness, discretion and pragmatism which helped him to be more balanced.
We have only to look at the manner he dealt with his political opponents at home during the depression years and his international colleagues abroad during the War years for the evidence of this balanced temper. But what happens to those of us who find ourselves in management roles and who lack this balance?
The age old example of the dangers of this imbalance is from Francois de Callieres, the guru of diplomatic behaviour, who wrote, “A man who is master of himself and always acts with sang-froid has a great advantage over him who is of a lively and easily inflamed nature.”
What de Callieres was saying here is that an excitable person who is easily carried away, in that she is unable to be master of herself at those critical moments and unforeseen occasions when self-management is of importance, is at a huge disadvantage. It is difficult for any person who is easily irritated or annoyed to remain master of her own secrets, for example.
De Callieres tells us one such story about the clever Cardinal Mazarin (1601-1661) who, as a young man, was sent as a special envoy to the Governor of Milan from the French Court with the object of Mazarin’s discovering the true feelings of the Governor on a political matter that concerned France and Milan. Mazarin discovered that the Governor had an excessively excitable type personality and so deduced that he was easily provoked (that he lacked the crucial balance of tempers that is imperative for those in leadership positions). So he decided on a strategy to inflame the Governor’s anger by uttering certain controlled statements. The Governor, on becoming angry, soon lost all pretence of discretion and said things he would not normally have said. Mazarin in this way managed to exact from the Governor what he needed to know. All during this tense situation, Mazarin’s speech and facial expressions remained in control so no one could discover his real thoughts.
However, de Callieres stresses forcefully that a cool head must also be accompanied by a warm heart, as otherwise a contrary type of imbalance will exist (coldness of the heart), and will work as equally to our disadvantage as does an excitable nature.
I completely agree with you. A balanced temperament is difficult to achieve for many people no matter how clever they may seem
Balanced temperament is the best way to handle all matter especially when we are in position of authority be it leadership, economic or political.