Leadership is tough, as it comes with stress and pressure. In a fast-paced business world filled with the burden for results, the burden of the people you lead and the pressure from the line manager who is either in the same country with you or outside the country, as it exists with multinational organisations, the ability to maintain composure under pressure is not just a desirable trait but an essential skill. Leadership positions inevitably come with an inherent weight. This responsibility tends to make one cranky sometimes or possibly reactive. However, a transformational leader must endeavour to be calm and collected. Despite the temptation to transfer the aggression to the team, leaders must strive to accommodate the pressure while demonstrating a great level of poise.
In 2014, Satya Nadella assumed the role of CEO of Microsoft. He came in at a time when the organisation was struggling with internal conflicts, loss of market share, and the struggle to adapt to the mobile-first, cloud-first world. Contrary to expectations that Satya would react with panic or aggression, he exhibited remarkable calmness with a serene demeanour. His calm leadership style resulted in a culture of collaboration and innovation. He began by listening intently to employees and customers, demonstrating patience and thoughtfulness. Nadella’s serene approach was evident in his strategic decisions, such as embracing open-source technologies and prioritising cloud services. He encouraged a growth mindset, fostering an environment where failure was seen as a learning opportunity rather than a cause for panic. All these propelled Microsoft to new heights, showcasing the power of calm under pressure.
Leaders, irrespective of the pressure of work, must be emotionally mature enough not to transfer the heat being experienced by them to their team members. Your team members look up to you; hence, it is your responsibility to avoid an environment filled with stress. Nobody delivers optimally under stress. Excellence in leadership lies in the ability to handle stress with a calm disposition. Leaders must recognise that their emotional state has a profound impact on their team members. Your colleagues and subordinates look to you as a barometer for the organisational climate. If you exude stress and anxiety, it permeates the entire work environment, potentially stifling creativity and productivity.
The examples of the contrasting leadership styles of Steve Jobs and Tim Cook at Apple come to mind. While Jobs was known for his mercurial temperament, Cook’s more measured approach has been credited with creating a less stressful work environment. This shift has not only maintained Apple’s innovative edge but has also contributed to improved employee satisfaction and retention. Tim Cook’s leadership at Apple presents a stark contrast to his predecessor, Steve Jobs. Cook’s measured approach is characterised by thoughtful decision-making and a focus on collaboration. He listens attentively to his team, values diverse perspectives, and maintains composure even in high-pressure situations. This calmness has permeated throughout Apple, reducing workplace stress and fostering a sense of psychological safety. As a result, employees feel more comfortable sharing ideas and taking calculated risks, which has helped maintain Apple’s innovative edge.
It is essential to recognise that pressure and stress can significantly impair cognitive functions crucial for effective leadership. The detrimental effects of unmanaged stress on leadership performance include a decline in memory function, making it difficult to recall important information or commitments. Others are a shrinking attention span, leading to missing crucial details or becoming easily distracted, and a clouded judgement, increasing the likelihood of poor choices. These cognitive impairments can create a domino effect, eroding team trust, damaging organisational culture, and ultimately affecting the bottom line. Leaders who don’t manage stress effectively may find themselves making more mistakes, missing opportunities, and struggling to inspire their teams. This underscores the vital importance of developing stress management techniques to protect and enhance these essential mental faculties, thereby ensuring optimal performance even under intense pressure.
In conclusion, the ability to handle stress with a calm disposition is not just a nice-to-have leadership trait but also a critical skill that can make the difference between success and failure in today’s high-pressure business environment. By cultivating emotional maturity and implementing strategies to maintain composure, leaders can create a positive, productive work environment that brings out the best in their teams and drives organisational success. Remember, in the words of the philosopher Epictetus, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” As leaders, our reactions set the tone for our entire organisation. Let’s choose calm and watch our teams thrive.
Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria.
