The great and multi-faceted Stephen Covey, the arch best-selling author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", left us among his immense legacy the circle of influence and the circle of concern.

The circle of influence represents all those things over which we have leeway. That which, in some way, depends or, if we try, can come to depend on us, on our thoughts, behaviours, emotions and actions.

Conversely, the circle of concern encompasses all the things we care about over which we have no control or influence.

When companies/organisations provide and comply with a minimum of healthy working conditions and culture, then absolutely everyone can activate the circle of influence and make it expansive. In this way we will see how the circle swells like a tyre, invading the areas of doubt, uncertainty and fear and reducing them.

It probably even reduces somewhat the circle of indifference, which is the one that comprises everything that we perceive as something alien to us, with no reason to be involved or to care. In short, we are much more involved. Not allegedly involved, but actually involved.

On the other hand, at the opposite extreme, there are companies that foster a culture in which people gradually give in to resignation or, even worse, to victimhood and despair. In extreme cases people become almost zombie-like, like the living dead. For example, we all have a grim image of working in an office or bank head office.

When we see that in a team, in a department or in a company, people go beyond ..... That they care about how they can contribute beyond the definition of their roles, that they care about trying hard, then we can see the sparkle in their eyes. It is the sparkle and sparkle that is triggered when there is high-flying commitment. Committed people and companies, people who are more alive, with more vitality.

And what happens when we see or feel this? That we can trust people, that we feel that we are not alone. Trust is not woven (nurtured) with words, but with deeds, with conduct and behaviour. This, yes, adjusted and coherent with the values and principles that the company or the group says and claims to have.

The larger size of the circle of influence is a direct indicator that there is more trust and high-level commitment because there is no conformism. When there is conformism, the twinkle in the eye goes out, but so does the verve, initiative, proactivity, innovation and creativity.

By working on engagement we achieve the virtuous circle of more involvement, a larger circle of influence and more trust. More trust and more engagement of the circle of influence which results in more engagement