As we all know, the world is ever changing and it takes a different kind of person and approach to be a successful leader today than it did even a few years ago, pre-pandemic.
We need to face the fact that many people were changed by that experience, the whole world was turned upside down, and to try and go back to the way things were, pretending that it didn’t happen, is madness.
A reminder of just a few of the changes that have a huge impact on businesses today (as sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of 2024 and forget):
The pace of digital transformation accelerated at unprecedented rates, and virtual working and interaction became the norm overnight
Employees expect to be able to work in a hybrid environment (why would they not, we all got our jobs done virtually when we had to?!)
The pandemic affected all of us physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually, and we’ll be experiencing the fallout from this for many years to come
We now have to accept a world that changes constantly, more than ever before, and this is challenging and hard to cope with, especially as many leaders haven’t been formally trained in change management
Research shows that the psychological effects of Covid-19 include fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress. Some of your team and peers will be experiencing these
What can you do to help yourself thrive as a leader in today’s world, and to be a better person at work for those around you in business?
I believe these are six essential skills needed to be a great leader in today’s world, and developing any one of these is going to support your growth, capabilities, and performance:
Authenticity
What this really means:
Knowing who you are, and being exactly who you are in every situation.
What you can do about it:
The first step is to get to know yourself and become more self- aware
What are your values, what do you stand for, and how do you behave under pressure and in difficult situations?
Integrity
What this really means:
Be honest and have strong principles that you refuse to change, whatever the situation.
What you can do about it:
Go through a reflection process and make notes of what your principles are and what you stand for
Notice when you find it hardest to stand up for what you believe in.
Reflect on why this is, and practice standing by your principles when times are tough. After the first few tough times, it will become easier to do
Resilience
What this really means:
Successfully adapt to challenging situations and bounce back from adversity.
What you can do about it:
Get to know situations that really challenge you, so that you can get extra support in adapting to them
Make sure you have a network of people around you (you only need a handful) that you can turn to when times get tough
Sharing problems and listening to advice can support you with developing resilience
Empathy
What this really means:
Emotionally understand what others feel, appreciate their perspective, and experience things from their point of view.
What you can do about it:
Start by developing your active listening skills
In your next conversations actively become aware of when you want to jump in, interrupt, when you are thinking of what to say next instead of just listening to the person in front of you, and stop yourself from doing it
This will be long term practice if this is an area of challenge for you
Active listening will help you to truly hear and understand what people are saying to you, and the next step is to change your response and reactions based on their emotions and situation
Decisiveness
What this really means:
Make decisions quickly and effectively.
What you can do about it:
‘Procrastination is the thief of time’
Make a list of situations you’re avoiding handling and conversations you’re avoiding having once a week, and make a plan for when and how you’re going to deal with them One of your main jobs as a leader is to make a decision about every situation, even if your decision is not to deal with it and to deal with it in two weeks
Actively make a decision about everything, rather than letting things drift. This will transform every area of your life
Expertise
What this really means:
Know your shit. Your knowledge, skills, experience all build up to expertise, which is also essential as a leader.
What you can do about it:
Again, it all comes back to self-awareness
What skills, experience and knowledge do you have that contribute to you being a great leader?
And what are the things that you need to work on?
Emphasise the good stuff, work on the things you know you need to improve
Which one do you need to work on today?
These are not easy skills to develop, especially if they don’t come naturally to you.
If you would like some support, coaching can help.
Comments