Curiosity In Motion: Leading With Calm in High-Stakes Environments

The Newsletter for Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Author

Malay Matalia
June 12, 2025

Welcome to this edition of Curiosity in Motion! As teams scale and complexity rises, founders often feel the pull to react—fast, often, and loudly. But the most effective leaders don’t just respond to pressure—they slow it down. They create space to observe, absorb, and then act with clarity.

In this issue, we explore why emotional regulation is your secret edge, how quiet leadership makes the loudest impact, and a mental model to help you make better decisions under stress.

Let’s get into it.

➡️ Emotional Intelligence > Raw Intelligence

Smart leaders hit targets.

Emotionally intelligent leaders build teams that last.

In high-growth environments, technical skill will only take you so far. Emotional intelligence—your ability to stay calm, read the room, and lead through tension—is what compounds.

Here’s why it matters:

🔹 Connection keeps you in the room: IQ opens doors, but EQ builds trust that sustains momentum
🔹 Retention rises: Teams with emotionally intelligent leaders report 4x lower turnover
🔹 Better decision-making: EQ doesn’t override logic—it makes logic land

💡 Key Takeaway: People follow hearts, not just minds. The best founders lead with both.

➡️ Quiet Leadership Isn’t Passive—It’s Calculated

The best leaders aren’t always the loudest in the room.
They’re the ones who:

  • Absorb tension instead of broadcasting it

  • Interrupt meetings only to realign clarity

  • Time their input with precision

If you’re naturally quiet, don’t fight it.
Stack these habits instead:

  • Let silence reveal more than speaking ever could

  • Map energy shifts in meetings—it’ll tell you more than status updates

  • Speak only when it moves things forward

💡 Key Takeaway: Presence isn’t volume. Your restraint is a strength.

➡️ Decision-Making Under Pressure — The OODA Loop

In fast-paced environments, founders often fall into reaction mode. The OODA Loop, developed by military strategist John Boyd, offers a calmer, more effective path:

Observe → Orient → Decide → Act

🔹 Observe: Pause long enough to take in objective data (team signals, market shifts, performance metrics)
🔹 Orient: Filter that data through your goals, risks, and context
🔹 Decide: Make a call—fast when reversible, slower when it’s not
🔹 Act: Execute, then return to observing

Why it works:
The founders who cycle through this loop more deliberately—and more often—outperform those who chase speed without structure.

💡 Key Takeaway: This isn’t just for military or combat—it’s for every founder trying to stay clear-headed in chaos.

This month, a reminder: leadership isn't just about steering the ship—it’s about staying grounded while doing it. The best founders aren’t reactive. They absorb, reflect, and act deliberately—again and again.

Until next time,
The Curiosity in Motion Team