Leadership is not a popularity contest; it’s about leaving your ego at the door. The name of the game is to lead without a title. – Robin S. Sharma
There isn’t really an area of life that does not change with the times. The term ‘the latest trend’ doesn’t just apply to clothing, it also applies to, among other things, music, eating habits, the way we travel, the way we parent, how we decorate our homes, and how we work. And so, it should be no surprise, that the metrics by which we measure good leadership also move and develop as the years roll by.
For those who strive to be the best leaders around, here in the 2020’s, gone are the days of iron-fisted, non-empathic, dictatorial leaders. In the last decade, we have seen a move towards a more empathic style, focused on working with employees, with their needs and skills, and with a view to making them feel like part of a united team, as opposed to a cog in an uncaring machine. Of course, this is not true everywhere. Far from it. But this approach is in high demand and is on the rise.
So, what are some of the pillars of model leadership coming into 2023?
1. Do As You Say
All companies have values, mission statements, and goals to which they all supposedly subscribe. It is becoming more and more important to visibly be a leader who does what they say they are going to do. This means constantly striving to stick to your proposed mission, and being conscious enough to re-evaluate your culture and goals on a regular basis. We look to leaders who are accountable to their own publicly declared standards, and who learn and move with changes in circumstance and the times.
2. Understanding What Potential Employees Seek
Conscious leadership requires many things, but perhaps the most important thing is to understand and empathise with the people who work for you. This also extends to people who don’t work for you yet! Now, with the changes we’ve seen in working habits in the last few years, leaders need to be conscious of creating an attractive workplace for where we are now. A place they want to be. Where the atmosphere is inspiring, creative and social.
3. Nurture and Recognising Potential
This is essential to avoiding employee burnout and to boosting the wellbeing of your workplace. Not only must you consider the mental health of those in your employ, and implement systems to look after them, but you must also try to be conscious of each employee’s individual skill set. Look for the uniqueness in each person and try to utilize those skills in a way that is personally empowering to them. encouraging growth is also a wise move, as not only does it empower the employee, but it could potentially provide you with a very skilled and loyal colleague in the long run.
4. Succession Planning
You were once the future. Perhaps you still are. But every good conscious leader understands that, at some point, it will be time for young energy with new ideas to take over from them and take their enterprise into its next chapter. Therefore, it bodes well to plan for succession. Look for the prerequisite skills in your employees and prepare them for leadership with wisdom and compassion, so that you know, when you do move on, that the ship will be safely and successfully steered.
5. Continuing to Learn
Don’t believe that, just because you are at the top of the pile, you have nothing left to learn. People like leaders who continue to learn. Leaders must be aware of the evolving world they are living in, both in their sector and culturally at large, and grow accordingly in order to remain successful.
6. Clearly Curated Teams
Build teams and employ people with an understanding of all of their skills. Know what you need doing, and be aware enough of the people that work for you to know exactly who is the best suited to do it! so much time is lost and so many mistakes are made because employees have been handed a task that they are not entirely suited to. Often, someone with the answers was always just within reach, but the leader in charge was not quite conscious enough to recognise it.
By Chris Thomson
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