EQ Moment #3:
JetBlue Flight Attendant Abandons Ship

For any action fueled by out-of-control emotions, a little time to cool off and reconsider typically provides much-needed perspective. This is true in the case of Steven Slater, the JetBlue flight attendant who cursed at passengers over the intercom, grabbed a couple of beers, deployed the emergency chute, slid down it, and headed home. Slater was arrested later that day and charged with three felonies, before later being fired by JetBlue. He was lucky not face further consequences of his actions—aircraft evacuation slides deploy with enough force to kill anyone standing in their path.

Slater’s reaction to his stressful job struck a chord with many people, and he quickly became a folk hero for anyone burnt out on work. He has since been in commercials and has a Facebook fan page with close to 200,000 followers, and the outpouring of public affection has seen people offering to contribute towards his legal fees. Despite this, Slater regrets his behavior, and doesn’t believe his incredible luck justifies the way he handled his problems.

Slater’s episode was a case of prolonged emotional hijacking, culminating in a glorious escape from the situation. However, what felt like freedom at the moment of action soon became a dangerous act that resulted in legal problems, a financial burden, and career suicide. Emotional self-control enables us to be conscious of our emotions as they occur, and decide what we should or should not do based on understanding the possible consequences. The trick is to tap into your ability to reason before your actions take you off the deep end, because—unlike the fortunate Steven Slater—nobody is going to cast you in commercials the next time you explode.