The events of recent years have shown us how the environment has become more complex, changeable and risky than in the past. I believe that this is not just a perception, but rather a true fact that will be a constant in the years to come. Events such as the pandemic and, more recently, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have made it much more difficult to manage and understand market dynamics, which are systematically impacted by global events.
Such an environment can only bring anxiety and stress to those who have to make professional and business decisions on a daily basis, impairing their ability to assess and their readiness to act consciously. Our motivation, the energy that fuels the will to cope with life, be it on a personal or professional level, depends very much, in fact, on our psychological and physical well-being. How, then, can leaders protect themselves and their teams, avoiding the “somatisation” of sudden, concerning events?
Clearly, I do not claim to offer a solution in this short article, all the more so considering that anxiety and the effects of stress are a subject of study and research by experts in medical science and psychology. However, I can provide some insights, based on my experience as a businessman, having faced many situations in which I had to achieve a goal under huge pressure.
One strategy that I consider indispensable for a leader is being able to foster and maintain good relationships within the work team. This is because positive interpersonal relationships reduce, even by a great deal, the negative effects of stress that, in the long run, can lead to real over exhaustion.
However, the success of this strategy depends on the leader’s interpersonal skills, i.e., his or her communication skills. In some cases, these skills are a predisposition of the individual; in others, they require dedicated learning. Trust, discipline, positivity, creativity and the ability to communicate through the correct management of emotions are all dialogic approaches that foster interpersonal relationships, improving their stability and durability. The skills required are: empathy, inclusive ability to share, listen and negotiate, and the ability to manage people by dealing with them in the most appropriate way. All of these certainly have beneficial effects on social relations, in terms of improved teamwork, harmony and cooperation. Not only that, but in an environment supported and motivated by an engaging network of relationships, each individual team member becomes a key player and, with it, his or her contribution to achieving the goal.
These skills have an important potential that, if well exploited, allows for a noticeable increase in the quality level of “professional environments”, with significant effects on business results. A connection already amply demonstrated in the economic and scientific literature. The quality of relationships becomes, therefore, a strategic resource to be used in every sphere – personal or professional – where everyone contributes by interacting, each with his or her own skills, to achieve the common goal.