On 3 June 2024, the Rafael del Pino Foundation organised the dialogue ".Happiness and leadership"in which the following participated Marián Rojas Estapé and Antonio Núñez on the occasion of the publication of the study entitledThe leader in the face of happinessby Alberto Ribera and Antonio Nüñez.
The doctor Marian Rojas Estapé is a psychiatrist with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Navarra. She works at the Rojas Estapé Institute in Madrid and her professional work focuses mainly on the treatment of people with anxiety, depression, personality disorders, behavioural disorders, somatic illnesses and trauma. She has participated in several cooperation and volunteer projects outside Spain and is an ambassador for Manos Unidas. Creator of the Ilussio Project on emotions, motivation and happiness in the business world, she is also a regular national and international speaker.
Antonio Núñez Martín is a Senior Partner at Parangon Partners specialising in Leadership and Corporate Governance, where he focuses primarily on Board and Senior Management Advisory, CEO and management succession planning, executive search and evaluation and development of management structures at national and international level. He has managed several Executive Education Departments in the IESE (Open Programmes, In Company Programmes and Special Programmes); and was the creator and Director of the Center for Public Leadership and Government. His experience in Public Management has been developed in his position as Director of Social Policies of the Cabinet of the President of the Government of Spain. He worked as a social entrepreneur in the creation and consolidation of the NGO "Cooperación internacional" in more than 12 countries. He holds a degree in Economics and Business Administration from CUNEF, an MBA from IESE Business School, a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a PhD from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and is a member of the Instituto de Consejeros y Administradores (ICA). He has published several books including "El líder ante la innovación", "El líder ante el espejo. Claves para la alta dirección", "El nuevo directivo público. Keys to Leadership for Public Management" and "Spain SL". Founder of the Association of Alumni of theHarvard Kennedy School in Spain, he has extensive experience on corporate Boards of Directors, Editorial Boards of the press and Boards of Foundations and NGOs.
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Summary:
On 3 June 2024, the Rafael del Pino Foundation organised the inspiring dialogue "Happiness and leadership", with the outstanding participation of Marián Rojas Estapé and Antonio Núñez. This event was held on the occasion of the publication of the study "El líder ante la felicidad", carried out by Alberto Ribera and Antonio Núñez.
In a context where the pursuit of happiness has become a recurring theme, the recent study "The leader facing happiness: Keys to leadership to be happy and create a happy work environment", conducted by Alberto Ribera, Professor at IESE Business School (2004-2022), and Antonio Núñez, Senior Partner at Parangon Partners, based on a survey of 3,482 leaders, offers a fresh and informed perspective on how business leaders can achieve personal happiness and, in turn, foster a happy work environment.
The study, presented during the event, offers a comprehensive view of how leaders can be catalysts for happiness within their organisations. Alberto Ribera and Antonio Núñez have collaborated to explore the keys to effective leadership, focusing on how leaders can achieve personal happiness and promote a positive work environment.
Marián Rojas Estapé, renowned psychiatrist and author of the bestseller "How to make good things happen to you", shared her experience on the importance of mental health and emotional well-being in leadership. During her intervention, Rojas Estapé emphasised how self-knowledge and emotional management are fundamental for any leader who wishes to positively influence their team and work environment.
Antonio Núñez, co-author of the study and an expert in leadership and corporate governance, highlighted several strategies and practices that leaders can implement to create a happy work environment. Núñez stressed that leadership based on understanding and valuing human well-being is essential to building successful and sustainable organisations.
Among the topics addressed in the study and during the dialogue were several areas crucial to leadership and happiness. Firstly, resilience and its relationship to happiness in leadership was discussed. A leader's ability to bounce back and adapt in the face of adversity is vital not only to their personal well-being, but also to their professional success. 94% of leaders surveyed consider themselves resilient, highlighting the ability to adapt and overcome adversity as fundamental to maintaining effective and happy leadership. Furthermore, resilience has grown in 64% of cases due to uncertainty and recent crises.
Another key aspect discussed was the connection between meaning and happiness. Finding purpose and meaning at work is crucial for the satisfaction and happiness of both leaders and their teams. Inspired by Victor Frankl and his work "Man's Search for Meaning", the study underlines the importance of having a clear purpose in life and at work in order to achieve happiness. However, only one third of leaders have a fully defined meaning in their lives.
Building a happy organisational culture was also a central theme. 74% of CEOs are very concerned about creating happy work environments and consider that the primary responsibility for building this culture lies with the CEO and the Steering Committee. 59% of leaders believe that they contribute significantly to creating a positive work environment. Specific strategies for creating a work environment that promotes the happiness and engagement of all employees were discussed, highlighting the importance of healthy relationships, appropriate recognition and rewards, and leadership that values and supports the personal and professional development of its employees.
The study reveals that 83% of business leaders surveyed consider themselves to be fairly or very happy, scoring 8 out of 10 for personal well-being. In addition, 70% of respondents attribute their happiness at work to their relationship with their superiors, highlighting the significant influence leaders have on the well-being of their teams.
Final reflections and recommendations from the study include the importance of leaders cultivating serenity, focusing on the present and strategically planning for the future, including preparing for retirement. The importance of defining personal and professional success and learning to manage failure as part of growth is also emphasised.
The Rafael del Pino Foundation is not responsible for the comments, opinions or statements made by the people who participate in its activities and which are expressed as a result of their inalienable right to freedom of expression and under their sole responsibility. The contents included in the summary of this conference, written for the Rafael del Pino Foundation by Professor Emilio González, are the result of the debates held at the meeting held for this purpose at the Foundation and are the responsibility of the authors.
The Rafael del Pino Foundation is not responsible for any comments, opinions or statements made by third parties. In this respect, the FRP is not obliged to monitor the views expressed by such third parties who participate in its activities and which are expressed as a result of their inalienable right to freedom of expression and under their own responsibility. The contents included in the summary of this conference, written for the Rafael del Pino Foundation by Professor Emilio J. González, are the result of the discussions that took place during the conference organised for this purpose at the Foundation and are the sole responsibility of its authors.
