A leader can be a boss but a boss can never be a leader! Well, goes without saying that primordial corporate authoritative structure is fossilized now.
Teamwork and group contribution are appreciated at workplaces more than being bossy over a corporate group of candidates. Leadership traits have undergone a sea change in the past few years since the pandemic has hit the global corporate infrastructure. Archaic facets of leading a team are no more incorporated or appreciated in the workspace. Professional mindsets have been broadened with a progressive and sensible outlook towards employees. When empathy is the new marketing secret sauce, empathizing with the employees and the target customer base is the very first step taken. Personal circumstances are no more divorced from professional choices and that has compelled this post-pandemic world to internalize employee issues in a better way. Archaic one-way communication has become superannuated perhaps. A cordial give-and-take method of communication is always solicited in the professional arena. Let us dig deep into some of the changed traits of leadership especially after the pandemic-ravaged world.
Excavating an array of leadership traits that have surfaced in the professional domain especially after the covid scenario:
- Baseless and irresponsible optimism is one of the archaic leadership traits that are no more entertained at workspaces.
- A lucid and firm consistency of communication is much appreciated especially when we all have fathomed how inevitable death is.
- Empower your team instead of simply assigning them professional project-based tasks.
- Keep things uncomplicated. Team members are inclined to follow leaders who keep it simple. Overcomplicating instructions don’t contribute to proper execution.
- Set your standards and involve the entire team. You should set high standards for your team. And try to get every member involved. This brings unity and teamwork into play.
- A reality check is important. Many theory-based leadership books have become obsolete since social affairs and market speculations never have aligned with consumer base and employee satisfaction in a static manner. Leaders are supposed to be practical and must be able to swallow the bitter pill.
- A team’s success is determined by the leader’s willingness to accept responsibility for failure.
- The ability to maintain hybrid work culture is a necessity.
- To be able to deal with teams working remotely is another quintessential facet for leaders in the post-pandemic work culture.
- To be tech-savvy is another potent requirement to lead teams when the geography of the employee does not matter for companies. Most of the MNCs are recruiting on a permanent work-from-home basis.
Key insights into modern-day leadership:
Be a friend first and lead the team thereafter. Lead, support, and accept the mistakes of all the members equally. Team members ought to share, report to and communicate rather than simply getting projects approved by the leader or getting permissions granted. Since the pandemic has hit almost every corner of the earth, societal currents and market fluctuations have become very volatile. Leaders used to plan and prioritize beforehand but now, last moment decisions have to be made with clarity and utter precision in the head.
“While there’s no denying the complexity of managing through a crisis, leaders can find clarity by testing every decision against touchstones that define their culture.”- Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association.
Come what may, leaders ought to own up to circumstances divorced from situations perhaps. Rather than playing a blame game in this trying time, the key lesson to remember in leadership is that a leader’s attitude usually rubs off on their team members. If management refuses to accept responsibility for errors, neither will their staff, and no one advances. However, when a leader fully accepts responsibility for an issue, their team members are eager to do the same. When a leader has a positive attitude in both good and bad times, everyone becomes more efficient and optimistic. To be efficient while the demand mounts, identifying priorities and taking action on them one at a time are much-warranted leadership traits especially in this post pandemics professional scenario worldwide. Sorting priorities out for the team member has to be the leader’s priority. “The best thing we can do as leaders right now is to put humanity above the almighty dollar” – Adam Zeitsiff, President & CEO, Gold’s Gym.
Conclusion: When the workplace ecosystem gets chaotic it not only fleshes out professional hazards but also springs from a sense of disorder that disbalances the client and business relationship. A dictatorship mirrored from bosses at the workplace runs against sensibilities. Leadership roles have become quite palpable to awareness and inclusivity these days. Leaders ought to make gender-sensitized decisions as well. Flexible and adaptable leaders are much appreciated. Humility is highly expected from modern-day leaders and if they are active listeners that is an add-on. More than physical well-being emotional and mental wellbeing of all the team members are to be taken care of by the leader. A good modern-day leader has to take responsibility for the team members’ professional -spiritual-social health as well. Crisis management is everything when it comes to leading a team through a pandemic. Personal lives have been going through a pell-mell but a good leader should retain professional decorum come what may.