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 organizations, 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 has the tendency to make one cranky sometimes or possibly reactive. However, a transformational leader must endeavor 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 the CEO of Microsoft, He came in at a time when the organization 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 will react with panic or aggression, he exhibited remarkable calmness with a serene demeanor. 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 prioritizing 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 matured 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 recognize that their emotional state has a profound impact on their team members. Your colleagues and subordinates look to you as a barometer for the organizational 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 characterized 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 important to understand that pressure and stress can significantly impair cognitive functions essential for leadership. The detrimental effects of unmanaged stress on leadership performance include decline in memory function, making it difficult to recall important information or commitments. Others are a shrink in attention span, leading to missing crucial details or becoming easily distracted and a clouded judgment increasing the likelihood of poor choices.

These cognitive impairments can create a domino effect, eroding team trust, damaging organizational 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 organizational 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 organization. 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.