Nobody on this planet remained unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our lives have been changed and there is no question of going back to business as usual. As individuals and organizations seek the “new normal”, new rules emerge. An important set of such rules refers to effective leadership.
How Has the Pandemic Changed the Concept of Effective Leadership?
CEMS, a global alliance of business schools, has conducted a study among leaders and professionals from all over the world. Its topic: how the health crisis has changed their business life and their outlook on the future.
Some of the most relevant findings of the study are:
- Soft skills will become more important than technical skills;
- Work has to become “smarter” with an increased focus on flexible hours;
- Leaders must learn virtual/online communication and team management skills;
- Resilience and agility will replace traditional leadership qualities.
As the findings of the study indicate, many leaders already know that their role has to change and they need to develop and perfect new sets of skills. If anything, the pandemic has given leadership a human face.
What Are the Key Ways in Which You Can Embrace a New Effective Leadership?
Let us make one thing clear: the new normal does not mean that your experience, skills, and abilities are no longer relevant. Far from it. The new normal means finding creative ways of using these skills to lead your team and steer your organization towards success.
This is a turning point for all businesses and all leaders. To go in the right direction you need to:
1. Be More Empathetic
Empathy at the workplace is the new face of professionalism. The global pandemic has shed the light on the importance of mental health. Effective leadership means nurturing your team to find a balance between their career and their wellbeing.
A healthy employee — from all points of view — is a productive and loyal employee. You knew that already. However, now you must include your employees’ mental health, not only physical health, on your list of things to do in order to create a great workplace.
2. Embrace Sustainability
Staying at home, during lockdown, has made many people think about their role in the growing issues of climate change and pollution. A movement towards sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint was already underway, but the pandemic has proven a catalyst.
An effective leader must promote sustainable ways of doing business, because their organization, just like every other business is under scrutiny. Both consumers and corporate buyers want to do business with companies that care about the planet — and take action to protect it. The new boycott will not be against personal or political views, but against businesses that refuse to adopt sustainable practices.
3. Be Optimistic — and Brutally Honest
More than ever, effective leadership means creating a positive image of the future. Teams need to be able to discern the silver lining in order to stay motivated and productive.
That being said, you must remember to stay brutally honest and refrain from sugarcoating unpleasant realities. Giving false hopes is worse than preparing your team for hard times ahead.
4. Embrace Your Leadership Vision All the Way
Now, more than ever, you must lead by example. Whatever you do and say defines your leadership style — including your personal life. As we have seen at all levels in business and politics, people are no longer willing to accept the discrepancy between a person’s beliefs in real life and the values they promote officially.
Thus, when you hone your effective leadership style, make sure that you can wear it 24/7 — even away from the business environment. This is a challenge, but it will make you a more honest and believable leader.
5. You Can Never Communicate Too Much
Communication has become a sort of survival tool during the pandemic. Billions of people discovered the importance of interpersonal relationships when they were forced to abandon them.
We may talk about Zoom fatigue all day long — but there is a need for these meetings, and not only for crucial decision making. Effective leadership means finding ways to meet your team over a virtual cup of coffee and let them open up to each other, keeping the spirit of teamwork alive. There is no team without happy and connected employees, so keep all communication channels open — and use them consistently.
This article was originally published on pldx.org.
