Imagine yourself sitting in the center of the most populated square in the world, exposed for a minute in that physical space to an amount of messages equal to what is placed on the Internet in that same time span, which would take five years to read.
It will only take a minute. Try to focus on who you are, what you want, and what information you need to take from it to keep growing in the midst of all this noise. Mission impossible, right?
Well, this mission to focus on yourself, your team and your company in the midst of information flows and small technological revolutions every day, can be facilitated with some approaches. For that, there are also studies and recommendations explained by Camelia Illie, Dean of Executive Education at INCAE Business School.
"The goal is not to lose our identity or reason, or our values or the path we seek. The key is to find a way that the wind does not blow us away and for that there are inputs from science, management and psychology," explains Professor Ilie, before presenting some tips for working as a professional, as a leader or as an entrepreneur.
It starts with an all-encompassing rule, that of confronting complexity with huge doses of simplicity, with connections to the basic elements of who we are (or our company is). Then come more specific suggestions:
1. Do not solve everything from rationality, because this world is by definition uncertain and because human motivation (true motivation) is very emotional. The good thing is that it also generates much better performance when oxytocin, called "the hormone of love", which has to do with well-being, kindness and bonhomie, has come into play. "Let's not obsess about the overall result but celebrate every little triumph," advises Ilie.
2. Let's start from one thing: planning is indispensable, but there will never be enough time for it in this fast-paced world. You can spend a week designing a plan, but at the end of those days the reality may have changed radically. So? Well, the advice is to develop the most agile planning possible, taking off the idea of achieving a perfect product or service. No one can completely abstract on a road from the speed at which others are going, but it is worth being aware of this.
3. It is normal and desirable that we accumulate a considerable amount of stress. Relaxing makes people unmotivated and the brain comfortable with leisure. It is necessary to try to have healthy stress levels, according to our professor. That is, balanced cortisol and serotonin levels. Fragor and well-being; work pressure and pleasure. The problem is that it is not easy to maintain this balance and sometimes the balance tips too far. The good news is that there are indicators to pay attention to: poor sleep, digestive problems, for example. It's okay to ask yourself 'how am I doing today' and your team 'how have you been sleeping lately?
4. It is not bad to repeat. A certain amount of pressure can be very necessary, especially at critical moments in our business. Sometimes it is convenient to adopt the "sergeant" mode for a moment and then the partner mode. "An authoritarian style may be appropriate, so that I put stress on myself to get out of the crisis, knowing that coaching will come later. Not to be a rigid leader, but an adaptable one. This forces me to be aware of every step and every event in my business," explains our expert.
5. Concentration is vital. Meditation can help. No one will ask you to levitate with your legs crossed over your documents or computer, but you should take a few minutes, 10 or 15, to become aware of your actions and the order of the day. A small pause to abstract from the turmoil and return to simplicity. It can be very valuable for your present and for the future. Healthy habits, good sleep and smart eating, without neglecting the basics: we are social beings and live in diverse teams. And so is our company, and we want a good and long life for it too. Or do we?
Text based on the presentation by Camelia Ilie, Dean of Executive Education, "Leading in Exponential Times: Addressing the VICA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) World.
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