--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to keep a cool head in an…" description: "\"The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/robert-r-shannon-79606_ability_the-ability-to-keep-a-cool-head-in-an-em_1575115.jpg" --- # The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain… ![“The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership.” quote by Robert R. Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/robert-r-shannon-79606_ability_the-ability-to-keep-a-cool-head-in-an-em_1575115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/robert-r-shannon-79606_ability_the-ability-to-keep-a-cool-head-in-an-em_1575115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/376/robert-r-shannon-79606_ability_the-ability-to-keep-a-cool-head-in-an-em_1575115.jpg) > “The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership.” Robert R. Shannon ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calm composure under pressure distinguishes true leaders, preventing panic and reckless decisions. **In simple terms:** Staying calm in crises shows leadership. Key Takeaway Maintain poise, lead wisely. Themes leadership calmness decision‑making Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - emergency response - team meetings - public speaking - high‑stress projects Key Concepts Emotional regulation Crisis management Questions to Reflect On - What strategies keep you calm when stakes rise? - How can you train teams to stay composed? A Different Perspective Not all situations allow cool heads. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Poise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poise/) ## Related quotes > [The ability to be cool, confident, and decisive in crisis is not an inherited characteristic but is the direct result of how well the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-ability-to-be-cool-confident-and-decisive-in-crisis-is-not-an/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [“Get out of bed to a good start with a cool head and a warm heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-biccard/get-out-of-bed-to-a-good-start-with-a-cool-head-and-a-warm-heart/) [John Biccard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-biccard/) > [Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead - but aim to do something big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deng-xiaoping/keep-a-cool-head-and-maintain-a-low-profile-never-take-the-lead-but/) [Deng Xiaoping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deng-xiaoping/) > [You can't keep a cool head when you're drowning in love. You just trash around a lot and scream, and wear yourself out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/you-can-t-keep-a-cool-head-when-you-re-drowning-in-love-you-just/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Keep a cool head and a warm heart. A mantra that became a song, inspired by the wise words of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-love/keep-a-cool-head-and-a-warm-heart-a-mantra-that-became-a-song/) [Mike Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-love/) > [I was struggling to keep my card and get in tournaments and found a way to breeze through the U.S. Open somehow with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-schauffele/i-was-struggling-to-keep-my-card-and-get-in-tournaments-and-found-a/) [Xander Schauffele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-schauffele/) > [Keep a cool head and a warm heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-love/keep-a-cool-head-and-a-warm-heart/) [Mike Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-love/) > [You will find that success in life comes far easier when you maintain a cool head and a warm heart, rather than a hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-griffin-iii/you-will-find-that-success-in-life-comes-far-easier-when-you-maintain/) [Robert Griffin III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-griffin-iii/) > [When you see people who are really good at game shows, the one common attribute is a cool head under pressure: an ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/when-you-see-people-who-are-really-good-at-game-shows-the-one-common/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [“An excellent mentor keeps a cool head and listens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-alper/an-excellent-mentor-keeps-a-cool-head-and-listens/) Patty Alper > [The best players are those who, at critical moments, have a cool head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodri/the-best-players-are-those-who-at-critical-moments-have-a-cool-head/) [Rodri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodri/) > [She so cool, give head with her shades on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/she-so-cool-give-head-with-her-shades-on/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [There are moments when you have to have a cool head and keep a standard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite/there-are-moments-when-you-have-to-have-a-cool-head-and-keep-a/) [Tite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite/) > [I have progressed. I have worked a lot in front of goal, trying to keep a cool head, trying not to force things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/i-have-progressed-i-have-worked-a-lot-in-front-of-goal-trying-to-keep/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [Baseball gives a growing boy self poise and self reliance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-spalding/baseball-gives-a-growing-boy-self-poise-and-self-reliance/) Al Spalding ## More by Robert R. Shannon > [Those who devise better methods of utilizing manpower, tools, machinery, materials and facilities are making real contributions toward our national security. Today, these ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-shannon/those-who-devise-better-methods-of-utilizing-manpower-tools-machinery/) Robert R. Shannon > [Wasted time means wasted lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-shannon/wasted-time-means-wasted-lives/) Robert R. Shannon Explore all 3 Robert R. Shannon quotes ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ability to keep a cool head in an emergency, maintain poise in the midst of excitement, and to refuse to be stampeded are true marks of leadership.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert R. 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