Mark Cuban says his best employees share this soft skill: ‘You need to reduce stress, not create it’

The best employees Mark Cuban has hired aren’t the ones with unwavering confidence or sharp business acumen.

A different trait sets high achievers apart, according to the billionaire entrepreneur and investor: They’re problem-solvers. 

“For me, the number one thing is you reduce stress rather than create it,” Cuban, 66, told CNBC Make It at an event announcing his AI partnership with Google. “There’s a lot of people that are just a whirlwind and everything seems to be difficult, causing a lot of unnecessary stress.”

As an employee, Cuban explained, the best soft skill you can develop is the ability to “analyze a situation, find a solution and not make a big deal of it.” 

Cuban’s desire for a less stressful work environment isn’t unfounded. Research has shown that stress seriously impacts productivity and job performance, and it’s estimated to cost American businesses more than $300 billion every year. 

With all this in mind, Cuban said, “the greatest value you can offer a boss is to reduce their stress.”

Stress at work is inevitable — but embracing it can help you become stronger, smarter and happier, Kandi Wiens, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Master’s in Medical Education program, tells CNBC Make It.

Research has shown that people who hold a positive stress mindset, which means stress is a challenge to be embraced, are more productive, focus better, feel more motivated at their jobs and are less likely to consider new work opportunities due to stress.

To win over your boss, Wiens suggests the following: Meet deadlines ahead of time and lend an empathic ear during difficult times. 

“Keeping your commitments and being a good listener are simple strategies to build your boss’s trust and confidence in you,” says Wiens. “It’ll also just make their life — and yours — easier.”

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