When ranking the qualities that differentiate average managers from the leaders who led companies out of the COVID Crisis and were successful in the period after, a very interesting result emerged: happiness. It surprised us when the managers interviewed ranked happiness as a success criterion, as we are talking about a state rather than a traditional trait.
What is happiness?
Firstly, we need to clarify what the respondents meant by happiness within this market research. They were clearly referring to the radiance of that particular manager, who conveys what a joyful life they are living to business partners, employees, and those around them. That is, this success factor is not learnable, but stems from people’s real lives. Either they really have the living conditions of someone and automatically display this phenomenon or they don’t. On the other hand, it is important to note that if a person is really happy, it cannot be hidden, it radiates an outward force that certainly counts in a typical business period, but it does not have a huge significance because, when everything is fine around our business, it is even easier to play with the feelings because the receiving side is not sharp enough to monitor this constantly. Now, however, in the last year and a half — and the long-term impact is expected to be measurable for at least several years — nothing has been right in our private lives. At least for most people, the era of confinement, full of restrictions, certainly did not take place without serious crises and ups and downs. So, it’s understandable that everyone in business demands a sense of happiness again, especially if they don’t get it from home. It needs to be clarified that this is not how people articulate it; the picture is not so simple, as we are often guided by the subconscious or some emotional feeling when we make a distinction between our own “happiness” and true contentedness. Moreover, on this subject, if we have the strength and energy for it, we are often overheard or, in more serious cases, we do not tell the truth to ourselves. That is why the weaker our own happiness, the stronger the effect of others’. To be clear: one satisfied, carefree person also feels good about another such person; effects do not affect only the unhappy. On the other hand, I would definitely say that the real positive and extra effect of the happy manager (often painting a false happy picture, but without real emotion in the background) is in an unhappy manager relationship, as two carefree, cheerful people take it for granted.
Happiness after a pandemic
Different personality types were affected differently by the crisis and the confinement. Mainly because there was no opportunity to “escape” from home or our problems; we had to stay there, we had to face them. Then there is the fact that each personality type connects with the outside world differently, to a different extent. It’s also clear that different personality types pay different degrees of attention to their own relationships, loved ones, and when the business world goes normally, it’s easier to find an excuse for why you spend so much time apart from family. These “tricks” that were not directly motivated, but stem from nature, were not possible for more than a year now. Worst of all, Individual people had trouble with the entire situation, as they are generally more selfish in their relationships than the other types, maintaining a large company with whom they cultivate superficial relationships. This indifference requires that they always meet others, go to events, and meet strangers so they can feel good. Well, they couldn’t do that. For them, even pretending to be happy can be a big challenge in the coming period. They often see tiredness, sadness, which of course, they take for granted, as “everyone suffered during the pandemic”. But they don’t see the situation well. The other endangered personality type is the Ruler, who is also an egocentric character and has had to see the consequences for more than a year now. This otherwise determined type also lost some level of energy, generosity, and happiness. The Supporter type is the winner of the crisis in this respect, as the family environment and real friends are essential necessities of their life, and now they were able to enjoy them much more. Many Supporter people already see a new energy, the quasi- “rebirth”, which otherwise encourages them to perform more. Although not fundamentally a proactive or motivating type — at least not by definition — they can have a serious, positive impact on their environment now and in the future. The absolute winner of the happiness theme, on the other hand, is the Expert type, who always devotes serious energy to building a perfect private life, and even in this area, logic is driven by data instead of emotions. Now was their chance to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Whether they live in a relationship or not, they love the private life of their choosing, and now they have more time left for it. Today, they contribute the greatest happiness effect.
Happiness is, therefore, an important consideration for everyone, but before this market research, many would not have thought of it as being so important. In retrospect, however, it clearly has a place in the Top 5.
(Next comes Number 3: Humour)
Prev episode
THE MOST IMPORTANT MANAGER FEATURES OF 2021-22 5TH PLACE: CONFIDENCE