Are you ready to lead in 2021?
It is hard to put briefly into words the mammoth challenges that leaders have faced over the past year, both professionally and personally. But uncertainty still lies ahead with forecasts and predictability in short supply, locally, nationally and globally as we enter 2021.
We feel it is safe to say that 2020 was a catalyst, creating changes and trends that will continue. There is no reset button to take us back to organizational life as it was in January 2020 and before.
So, what are some of the key trends and their implications which you can take advantage of in 2021?
- Increased use of technology for communication and remote working.
This is a trend that may have appeared as a novelty back in March, but the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and there is no going back. Whilst many of these technologies existed beforehand their use has skyrocketed and products have evolved and developed to keep up with increased demand, and our reliance up them.
This powerful combination is a challenge to more traditional leaders who like to fall back on hierarchy and structure. A modern leader by contrast will take full advantage and notice that interactive technological platforms break down barriers and allow real time collaboration and input from everyone in the team, group, project etc. Everyone is empowered and encouraged to lead. Leadership is now about creating an environment in which the direction is set and the outcome to be achieved clear.
As a modern leader we need to be sensitive about the diversity of the team in this regard. We need to think of creating an environment which addresses psychological and physical challenges alike. For many employees, especially those in junior roles, their technology at work is now starting to resemble what they use every day in their personal lives. For those on the wrong side of the digital divide, this new reality may be way out of their comfort zone. We should create openness around this, as experts believe that we all suffer at least a small amount of nervousness when confronted with new technology including those with “digital” in their work title. Those earlier on in their career might miss the comfort of the accommodation their more senior colleagues can rely back upon. They crave more convenient physical workspace to operate from. Most surveys related to future of work conclude that a hybrid offer of remote working combined with office space will therefore be the 2021 reality: time to connect when we want and need to, no longer because we must.
The 2021 challenge for you as a leader is to take the initiative, to create this virtual and psychologically safe space in which to co-operate and enable your team to achieve their best performance.
- There is a cultural impetus and need for greater inclusion and focus on the wellbeing of employees.
Breaking down barriers and the increased input of ideas and solutions could save time and improve efficiency. We only must look at how fast the vaccine has been produced. No one would have believed this was possible in 2020. We have already highlighted that for your employees to engage and replicate such dynamic results you need to foster an environment of psychological safety, though in doing so paradoxically it also requires any leader to introduce a new type of structure or control? We like to see these as new leadership practices that create healthy and productive boundaries to optimize engagement and accountability. It involves, finding an effective replacement for the spontaneous observations you can make in a physical work environment to see how someone is doing with timely check ins that do not diminish trust. Thereby, finding a balancing act between respecting someone’s privacy and caring for someone’s emotional wellbeing as a result of a feeling of separateness versus not creating a feeling that they are left on their own or dependency
The paradox of this scenario is that as working becomes more remote there is a cultural impetus and need for greater inclusion and focus on wellbeing. For many this will be triggering, uncomfortable and new territory, but there is a need to master the power of humility and force yourself to connect with your people in a completely different way.
Communication is key and, it needs to come from you, be more frequent, clear and transparent. CCL have highlighted that being able to listen to, and communicate with, a wide range of people across roles, social identities, and more is a key leadership skill, exponentially increasing in importance. It directly affects the success of your business too. It is no wonder that they cited in their September 2020 research that great leaders consistently therefore possess these 10 core leadership skills:
- Integrity
- Ability to delegate
- Communication
- Self-awareness
- Gratitude
- Learning agility
- Influence
- Empathy
- Courage
- Respect
Who would have thought that gratitude, which you may believe belongs in the esoteric realms of self-help, would be a necessary leadership trait in 2021! Humility is required to accept that these traits are important. Thomas Moore called humility, that low, sweet root, from which all heavenly virtues shoot.
- Economic, commercial, and social ecosystems are changing as well as the expectations of our workforce
The production of the Vaccine has led to previous commercial competitors and universities working together towards a common goal across the world. Over 100 organizations supported the Manchester United footballer and England international Marcus Rashford’s #endchildfoodpoverty campaign, and those communities in need. Organizations and their communities have become closer and more entwined because of the pandemic. This new eco system of collaboration will not be uncoupled easily and is likely to give rise to a different perspective beyond classic, conservative, risk averse practices. Several studies are highlighting too that purpose and meaning is the best prediction for people’s engagement, and therefore performance and productivity.
Are only those who are part of our team people worthwhile creating opportunities to develop or do we open the team for cross boundaries collaborations? Do we proactively seek for this to happen? Will we open our team up for gig workers? Do we consider opportunities for inclusivity through community-based hiring, to those returning following a long break from paid work?
As a leader we need to ask ourselves for whom we envisage creating value in 2021 and the weighting we put to these various stakeholders. Do we pursue shareholder value as a healthy company that is also beneficial for employees and clients? Do we pursue client centricity as customer satisfaction leads to employees being able to provide their best work? Do we opt for putting the employee at the heart as the capability of our employees is the best guarantee for happy clients and financial health? Or do we act as a source for good and measure our success through societal value? Once you are clear in your mind, ask yourself who do you think your team members are working for? And what is the clarity and alignment required in 2021 to enable you to act effectively on these strategic imperatives around value creation. How will you measure this? Who will you need to be successful to be set up for success? Who will need to support you to be successful?
While you are looking after others, who is looking after you?
After reading the above, you may well feel overwhelmed, more responsible, and beyond or on the edge of your comfort zone. Or excited at the opportunities ahead!
There is a paradox that at a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty you require space to think, but remote working invades your space and the usual rituals and boundaries separating work and home no longer exist.
It is difficult to do this on your own. “No man (or woman) is an island” dates to the 17th century but this sentiment lies at the heart of a radically collaborative and inclusive work environment reflective of 21st century leadership, accelerated by the events of 2020.
What can you do for yourself?
A great quote from a 2016 HBR article on resilience says that “If you have too much time in the performance zone, you need more time in the recovery zone, otherwise you risk burnout”.
- Establish your own recovery practices. What enables you to recharge?
- Explore mentor or coaching relationships and create space that allows you think and develop yourself? What got you here, will for sure not get you there.
- Lead by example and set boundaries, which could include the right to disconnect from work. There is legislation in Europe and discussion is on the way within the UK. How would the organization benefit from such boundaries and seeing you model them?
We would love to hear from you about the thoughts and actions sparked by this article –
Tina and Caroline