Leadership is leadership is leadership.
Or is it?
The truth is that leadership is leadership – the principles and human nature haven’t fundamentally changed for 2000 years.
Yet the seismic shift in our collective experience and perspective forced by a pandemic, and the changes in how and where we work have created a new context we must consider and apply if we want to lead effectively.
How does this new post-pandemic world view change leadership?
Leaders must be more focused on the needs of their team. We must be more empathetic, more flexible and be better listeners. If you read that as “being soft” you are missing the point.
>> Learn more at the webinar: Leading in a Post-Pandemic World: The Master Keys to Your Future Success
Great leaders will always be those that get great results – yet now more than ever the leaders who will thrive will be those that get those results with and through others, not by pushing or controlling others.
The watchword for leadership success is commitment. Relying on or settling for compliance rather than commitment will be less effective in a world where employees are looking for more in their work and expecting leaders who give them a chance to grow and make a bigger positive difference in the outcomes of the organization.
Why Worry About It?
Great leaders continue to grow and improve, further honing their ability to consistently apply timeless leadership principles. So even if you are wondering why we need to change if the principles haven’t changed, status quo isn’t enough. And while it is fair to wonder how much we need to adjust, that thought ignores the realities we have all lived/are living through. It might not be an attractive idea, but it is true – being an effective leader requires us to continue to grow and to continue to better understand those we are leading.
If you have been a follower-focused leader who has met performance goals outcomes by being aware of your team members needs, you have a better chance of success. But the future of leadership requires us to make sure we understand the needs of our team members, as the pathway to getting great results.
Missing this growth and ignoring the new perspectives of our team members puts us at risk of greater turnover, lower engagement, and greater personal stress and anxiety. Any one of these reasons should keep us alert, interested and vigilant to become a better leader in a post pandemic future of work.
Written by: Kevin Eikenberry
