Do you know why we can escape the tunnel now? Because it costs no money. The only cost is effort. But effort is not the same as forcing yourself. If I forced myself, I would not be authentic. Nothing is more counterproductive today than acting without authenticity. It simply means putting my will to work for what is needed now. These solutions are demanding and intensive. If this sounds confusing, keep reading. I will explain the 3 requirements to preserve health and employment in these times.
We can escape the tunnel
And do you know the first step? It is realizing that my contribution has meaning. It means something to me and to those I serve. I must see that my contribution is unique, neither better nor worse. It is not about comparison. It is about getting into the game. We must give the moment what it needs: shoot for the goal, pass the ball, or stop and look…
The 3 requirements to preserve health and employment that I propose cannot be learned in any familiar place. Finding them depends entirely on what you bring to the table. You only need to understand the field and know yourself well enough. This is why they may seem like demanding and intensive solutions. You must know which of your skills the game needs to continue: your shot, your pass, your tackle, or your listening…
We must go to a new and unknown place. A genuinely human place. It is where purpose and quality of life meet. Once you arrive, you will see what needs to be activated.
Will you join me in uncovering this game?
The Covid Pandemic and the Unemployment Pandemic: Our Shared Challenge Today
The impact of living in a globalized world has become very clear with the current Covid pandemic, in case anyone still had doubts.
I believe we are now more aware of how migration flows transfer global issues. They influence the world population and bring major changes to health problems and societal concerns. Health and employment—or rather, the lack thereof—are among the most urgent issues we face today.
Many of today’s problems were already latent. They stem from social factors that cause inequalities in access to health and employment. These are often based on culture, gender, and socioeconomic status.
However, this Covid pandemic shows us that public health does not care about race or social class. Both pandemics are worsening our mental and physical health. They also strip away our sense of contributing to a useful and meaningful life.
The 3 Requirements to Preserve Health and Employment
It is clear right now that we must reinforce Health Promotion. We need to develop citizens who feel the inner strength of their own empowerment, autonomy, and self-confidence.
As an individual and as a CEO of any organization—large, medium, or small—I would focus on just three things. They can help us regain the joy of living and transform ourselves. These are the 3 requirements to preserve health and employment.
The items for your immediate agenda will help you survive and, above all, truly live. These items feed into each other, which is very important. They are:
- Love and preserve your mental health: practice Salutogénesis,
- Leap from what divides us to what unites us: find your purpose,
- Reach out a hand in the other direction: live and lead with compassion
Requirement 1: Love and Preserve Your Mental Health: Practice Salutogénesis
Salutogénesis was the first model and theory to explore health in terms of human development (Antonovsky 1979 and 1987). We have strong scientific evidence on the effectiveness of Salutogénesis (Lindström and Eriksson). By focusing on the resources and processes that determine health, it promotes well-being, improves quality of life, and enhances performance by finding meaning.
People and systems that adopt it develop a population that lives longer and is more likely to choose positive behaviors and attitudes. When facing illness, they cope better and manage stress more effectively. They also perceive themselves as having better health, good quality of life, and better mental health.
Why? Because Salutogénesis promotes a change in mindset. It does not bring you techniques or pills, but rather a change in vital attitude. The problem in our organizations is that the vision provided by Salutogénesis is not being implemented as much as it should be.
I believe this is because it applies an expansive and demanding perspective. Salutogénesis constantly asks: what else can I do? What other resource can I integrate? What does being excellent require of me? This requires a commitment to renew your global vision: Salutogénesis integrates and promotes a perspective that supports life.
Requirement 2: Leap From What Divides Us to What Unites Us: Find Your Purpose!
The IESE report “Professional Skills of the Future” highlights the significant gap between the attitudes companies need and those they find in job candidates.
Most strikingly, 72% of companies believe that university graduates are not sufficiently prepared in terms of adaptability and resilience. Practically half think that young people lack initiative. Other areas with major deficiencies include global vision, commitment, and autonomy. Furthermore, 77% of responding companies believe there is a mismatch between the skills they need and those offered by the university system (IESE Report).
Yet, even with all this and giving attitude and openness to change the importance they deserve, I believe we must go a bit deeper. To develop a skill and embrace a new attitude—with all the personal attention and self-discovery that requires—one must find a ’cause’ that provides meaning and drives them to break molds and leap over barriers.
And what can drive this desire for change? Finding and connecting with your purpose! Now tell me, where is purpose born? Inside us, right? And what do you find inside? A genuinely human and authentic self, serving something beyond mere survival instincts. Finding your purpose brings you mental well-being and closeness to others.
Requirement 3: Reach Out a Hand in the Other Direction: Live and Lead With Compassion
To address the third and final requirement to preserve health and employment, I need to take you back to an earlier time in my life. It was a phase where, for a while, I felt like a lonely, disoriented, and sad leader. If you are or have been a leader of a small group or a large organization, you might recognize that feeling of insecurity hidden beneath a “superwoman” or “superman” armor. You put it on when facing difficult decisions, mergers, team restructuring, union negotiations, and so much more…
In those moments, thoughts probably crossed your mind like: “Are people actually listening to me? Do they think well of me? What if my kindness is misinterpreted as weakness or brown-nosing?” Over and over again! I noticed how this pattern worsened in certain environments and during exhausting periods of life and work.
Something like this can affect all of us. Even the kindest people can find themselves operating in what I call “survival mode” under the pressure of that deeply engraved motto: “now we must compete to survive.” Whether you are highly aware of being in this mode or not, when we view others as competition, it creates rivalry. Relationships with colleagues and subordinates are then perceived as threats.
In times of high tension, like now, leadership that inspires and unites through compassion becomes even more important. Leading with compassion can seem like a paradox to many executives. In fact, it was for me, or I wouldn’t have put on that “superwoman” persona back then.
Because what are we really talking about? Many leaders I have worked and work with think and assume that showing compassion means being “soft.” They think it means accepting underperformance when dealing with personal issues. For example, a divorce or the serious illness of a close relative might prevent you from performing at your best.
If you see it this way as a team leader, you might ask: how long should you be considerate and accept low performance? And if you are the one going through the situation, you might suffer in silence for fear of being sidelined, wondering how long you can keep quiet.
A Change in Mindset
In my opinion, if these questions arise, you are called to change your mindset and perspective. Why? Because being considerate is not the same as being compassionate.
My experience, learning, and personal transformation have shown me that leaders CAN cultivate behavior that celebrates both excellence and compassion, rather than just demands and consideration. Changing your perspective changes everything.
The key ingredient of compassion is feeling connected to others by something beyond self-interest. It is feeling love for and serving what you do. In an organization, this movement is facilitated by purpose in action. That means keeping purpose at the center of every decision made.
Feeling connected to yourself and discovering your unique purpose and meaning is all about learning and practicing Salutogénesis. It helps you know yourself, understand what happens to you, and manage it while gaining resources and quality of life. With all of this, you leave survival mode behind because you learn to live in support of life. Like anything, it is about starting to practice. Believe me, it works.
