Keeping Cool Under Pressure: The Power of Logic Over Emotion
In the bustling offices of a mid-sized tech company, an unexpected email sent shockwaves through the team. The subject line read: “Unethical Practices in the Marketing Department.” It was an anonymous accusation, claiming that someone in the department was manipulating client data to inflate performance metrics.
The reaction was swift and emotional. Colleagues began pointing fingers, heated arguments erupted, and tensions flared. The head of marketing, Emma, found herself at the centre of the storm, accused without any solid evidence. The turmoil escalated quickly—relationships frayed, trust eroded, and productivity plummeted.
Emma, however, remained calm. While others were caught in the whirlwind of speculation and outrage, she took a different approach. “Before we act on assumptions,” she said firmly in a team meeting, “let’s gather the facts.”

Step One: Identifying the Truth
Emma reached out to the IT team to trace the origin of the email. Meanwhile, she asked her team to audit the reported metrics, checking for inconsistencies. The IT team discovered that the email came from a disgruntled ex-employee who had left on poor terms months earlier.
The audit revealed no irregularities in the data, confirming that the accusations were baseless. The evidence spoke volumes: no tampering had occurred, and the integrity of the team was intact.
Step Two: Resolving the Conflict
With the facts in hand, Emma called another meeting. She presented the findings, detailing the thorough investigation and the measures taken to ensure transparency. She emphasised that assumptions and emotionally driven responses had clouded judgement, nearly derailing the team.
Emma also used this as a teaching moment. “Let this be a reminder of how easily emotions can lead us astray,” she said. “We owe it to ourselves—and each other—to focus on logic and facts before reacting.”
The Aftermath: A More Resilient Team
The team walked away with a renewed appreciation for the importance of rational thinking. They implemented new protocols for handling internal disputes, including requiring evidence before addressing accusations. The emotional storm subsided, and trust was slowly rebuilt.
Emma’s ability to remain calm and prioritise logic over emotion became a turning point for the company culture. The situation, which could have spiralled into long-term dysfunction, instead became a lesson in the power of evidence-based decision-making.
The Lesson
This story serves as a reminder of the dangers of letting emotions dictate our actions. While emotions are natural and often valid, acting on them without the backing of evidence can lead to unnecessary conflict and poor decisions. When logic prevails, clarity and resolution often follow. As Hans Rosling aptly highlights in his book Factfulness, only by seeking facts and resisting emotional instincts can we truly address problems and create meaningful solutions.