Calm – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

A navigation instrument

Teamwork is hard. Joining a team is a serious decision we make before committing our effort and energy to one or more goals. Teams go through all kinds of situations. This time I want to focus on one that’s fundamental and often emotional: the moment a decision is made or a conclusion is reached to solve a problem. Not everyone on the team will necessarily agree, and that’s where the leader plays a crucial role, with an "eagle eye" that takes in the whole picture and, above all, the ability to listen to and understand every point of view.

Staying calm in complex situations is a core leadership capability. Calm gives us perspective. When a team gets exasperated and tempers flare, whether from pressure or simply human nature, someone, especially the leader, needs to hold on to the inner conviction that listening is the best source of answers, however counterintuitive that may feel. History, and war in particular, offers examples of leaders whose composure averted greater conflict and ended up winning the war as well as the battle. The same happens in business and in teams. Trust starts to erode once shouting, mistreatment and desperation appear, and with them the focus on goals fades.

How do we build calm?

First, by focusing on what we can control. Second, by accepting that there will always be factors we can’t manage. Some call it chance or luck. As a Christian, I prefer to leave that part to divine Providence and nurture my faith around what I don’t control. Oddly enough, this realm of the uncontrollable is where we lose our calm most often. We cling to things beyond our reach, and that’s where I see the most common mistakes in setting strategic goals: we lack the resources or capabilities, or we aren’t willing to invest in building them. Frustration is inevitable, and poor results are practically guaranteed.

In any situation, calm is a sign of wisdom, and of action. Someone who stays calm in quiet moments and in the tensest ones will always be able to make the best decision, whatever the context. Back to teams: a team that knows how to dial down the intensity when things go badly, and keeps its calm, has a crucial advantage in seeing the short, medium and long term clearly.

The same idea applies on a personal level. For me it’s a revealing principle. Think of a pilot who, thanks to his instruments, flies out of a storm and reaches his destination despite an unexpected change of course. The calm that came from trusting those instruments is what let him overcome adversity.

What instruments do you need to fly out of your storms?

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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