Managing self, situations and stress

Abstract

Management or leadership roles in biotechnology companies place great demands on the individuals involved. They are high-visibility roles in which personal and management style are under constant scrutiny and pressure. It is worth taking some time to understand one’s own personal style and to understand how it can work with others, especially when others might have notably different ways of working. We take as our base the Myers–Briggs Personality Inventory based on personality dimensions outlined by Carl Jung. There is no ‘correct’ personality style and successful organisations can work creatively to accommodate a wide diversity of types. Knowing more about how one’s own style leads to characteristic patterns of action can help to understand one’s impact in a organisation and allow one to work with the strengths and weaknesses of any given style. Working in the high-pressure environment of a small company trying to survive in a difficult business environment can be a highly stressful experience. The different perceptions, needs and aspirations of colleagues, investors, clients and partners can lead to tensions, arguments and open conflict. The leader within an organisation is an important mediator in dealing with these kinds of situations. Discussion, argument and perhaps even conflict are an inevitable and sometimes necessary part of the process of running a company. It is also true that, left unchecked, these can become problems that can seriously undermine the functioning and chances of success of a company. The leader must therefore understand conflict and how to control it so that it does not damage the company. The stresses involved in running a company, dealing with complex science, interdepartmental wrangles and trying to keep some kind of a foot in the real world are considerable. A stressed manager is not only a problem for the person involved, but is also a difficult person to work for or with. Anyone involved in leadership within companies should think about stress management as part of their job every bit as much as a professional athlete would manage their personal fitness. Some simple routines can be put in place to make life in companies a little bit saner.