{"id":2945,"date":"2025-10-30T12:01:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:01:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/?p=2945"},"modified":"2025-10-30T14:37:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T13:37:44","slug":"the-leader-as-a-compass-in-times-of-overload","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/the-leader-as-a-compass-in-times-of-overload\/","title":{"rendered":"THE LEADER AS A COMPASS IN TIMES OF OVERLOAD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Leading Between Productivity and Presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How to lead in times of constant overwhelm<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udd17Link to slovenian version of the article: VODJA KOT KOMPAS V \u010cASU PREOBREMENJENOSTI<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When (Excessive) Speed Becomes the Enemy of Direction<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A few weeks ago, during a workshop with a group of managers from a large manufacturing company, we opened a discussion about overload and the growing demands for productivity.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of them quietly and somewhat resignedly said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, I often feel like I\u2019ve been busy all the time, but haven\u2019t actually done anything truly meaningful.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The room went silent \u2014 because it was a sentence that hit the nail on the head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Today, we hear it almost everywhere: people work more than ever before, yet their sense of clarity, purpose, and energy is fading.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaders I meet through my work as a potentialog<\/em> often find themselves caught between operational pressure, staff shortages, an uncertain future, and rising expectations for \u201cmotivated teams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the truth is that motivation today is no longer just about the right speech or a material bonus.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


It\u2019s increasingly about rhythm, balance \u2014 and presence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is where reflection on the role of the leader as a steady compass<\/em> begins \u2014 a leader who doesn\u2019t measure speed but points the way forward.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Modern Productivity Paradox: More Work, Less Presence<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index 2025<\/strong>, global productivity has seemingly increased<\/strong> \u2014 yet the sense of meaning and clarity has declined.<\/span><\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees spend more time reacting<\/em> than creating<\/em><\/strong>, leading to what is called the \u201cproductivity paradox\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 more activity, less impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a visual illustration of this phenomenon, watch this video:
\ud83c\udfa5 The Productivity Paradox: Why \u201cMore Work\u201d Kills Creativity & Code Quality<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the Gallup World Report 2025<\/strong> reveals that only 31% of employees worldwide are truly engaged, 52% are passively present, and 17% are actively disengaged.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Source: Gallup World Report 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n


This means that two-thirds of the global workforce operates without inner drive <\/span><\/strong>\u2014 not because they lack skills or will, but because they no longer see meaning in the pace the system demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generation Z amplifies this sentiment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Younger employees seek flexibility, meaning, and psychological safety, while older ones increasingly feel that the price of success has become too high \u2014 time, peace, and focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Productivity without presence creates noise without impact.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Psychology of Engagement: Between Meaning and Reality<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, we believed \u2014 and management theory told us \u2014 that engagement is driven primarily by non-material factors: purpose, belonging, recognition, autonomy.<\/span><\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the new reality is more complex.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As living costs rise faster than wages, the material dimension has become mainly a hygiene factor<\/em><\/span><\/strong> \u2014 not because it motivates, but because its absence breeds frustration and disengagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, human nature remains the same \u2014 we want to be heard, respected, and valued.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t mean we should forget about meaning or emotional connection \u2014 quite the opposite.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaders today must balance reality and idealism<\/span><\/strong>: creating conditions where people feel both fairness and respect, as well as connection and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new engagement formula is therefore not \u201cmore perks or more purpose,\u201d but rather:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 Fairness + Presence + Purpose = Engagement<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Leader as Compass: Presence as the New Productivity<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In times of overload, people no longer need leaders who merely push them forward, but those who know how to slow them down and guide them<\/strong>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presence of a leader has become the greatest capital of any organization<\/strong> \u2014> the ability to stay focused, understand context, adapt leadership style to circumstances, calm the pace, and highlight what truly matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three modern rituals of a leader <\/strong>\u2014 a developer of potential and a stable compass for the team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83e\uddd8 Pause before decision:<\/strong> 30 seconds of mindful breathing before any major step.<\/p>


\ud83d\udcac Weekly dialogue circle (no agenda):<\/strong> 30 minutes with the team \u2014 about meaning, not just goals.<\/p>


\ud83c\udf31 Story of the month:<\/strong> The leader shares a personal lesson on balancing efficiency and calm.<\/p>

<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leadership of the future is no longer about leading faster, but about leading deeper.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a world where numbers are often louder than feelings, technology moves faster than dialogue, and change is the only constant, the leader\u2019s inner compass becomes the essential tool for long-term survival \u2014 and inspiration.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a leader can remain calm, focused, and present, they give back to the world what it needs most \u2014 a sense of meaning.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

mag. Janez \u017dezlina<\/strong>
Potentialog<\/em>
\ud83d\udce7 janez.zezlina@ecg.si<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leading Between Productivity and Presence How to lead in times of constant overwhelm \ud83d\udd17Link to slovenian version of the article: VODJA KOT KOMPAS V \u010cASU PREOBREMENJENOSTI When (Excessive) Speed Becomes the Enemy of Direction A few weeks ago, during a workshop with a group of managers from a large manufacturing company, we opened a discussion […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2941,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2945"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2945"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2970,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2945\/revisions\/2970"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecg.si\/clanki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}