The secret of Naples? He has shed the toxic leadership of his 'fantastic losers'

Today it's easy to get on the bandwagon of the dominating team of the Italian football championship, but when, last August, on these pages, I wrote that Napoli was stronger than last year< /strong>o, I was not spared from a few comments of disagreement (understatement).

Yet my analysis, not a prophecy, was not based only on the technical aspects, influenced by the typical Augustan hope of the fan which, psychologists say, represents an extraordinary tool for curbing psychosis in its worst forms (including typhus ): if hope fails, any life project risks failure.

My reasoning, also a mental deviation that derives from my profession, considered liberation as an added value from toxic leadershipof the various Insigne, Mertens and Koulibaly sold at the end of last season.

Undoubtedly professionals linked to the blue colors (they have also demonstrated this in recent months through their posts on social media) that I don't want, as a fan, show ingratitude but who over the years had shown the features of toxic leaders, as perceived, often unconsciously, by teammates.

A toxic leadership characterized by some significant elements.

Among these it was noted that, despite the behavior of attachment to the shirt of the toxic leader, among other things endorsed by a popular narrative based on elements that have nothing to do with effective leadership (a local journalist stated that Insigne's leadership was evident from as “he high-fived with his teammates”), the rest of the team tended to put up with and abandon the path of growth and maturation, maintaining respect not for the person but for the seniority which is a good thing different from the ability to command.

Significant, in this regard, is also the result of a research which indicates that the more time spent in the group of toxic leaders, the less one has the perception of the negative effects of Bad Leadership on team results.

The mainstream observation of socio-economic phenomena leads in many cases to affirm that leadership performance improves with “seniority”, when the latter is, however, often only synonymous with loyalty and < strong>sense of gratitude as well as bearer of values ​​attributed to work as an individual experience. Mertens or Insigne or Koulibaly, in addition to being faithful to the shirt, have certainly improved their “know-how” on the pitch.

However, one step was missing: the “fantastic losers”,as I had called them, they had by now mentally metabolized the false adage of “those who are satisfied (even with a Champions League qualification), enjoy”, a very frequent dynamic in organizations that place many young and hungry collaborators alongside seniors whose leadership, the one that emerged this year, is suffocated.

But we know very well that those who are satisfied never win.

We are convinced, however, that a leader is recognized for his path of personal and professional growth, for his confidence in his skills, for his experience in knowing how to handle critical issues and unforeseen situations, for his ability to support and motivate colleagues and collaborators, for his ability to networking (also with external stakeholders) and for its authority and credibility.

The great merit of the company and of Spalletti was that of “getting rid” without trauma of that ballast and release the winning energies of a group in which on There is now widespread and democratic leadership.

Come on Naples!