What if the disruption you are experiencing today, is exactly what you need to be successful tomorrow? What if it changes your business results beyond your expectations?
The impact of AI in the workplace is palpable, technological security imperative, the need to balance human needs and performance demands challenging, and constant uncertainty ever-present. All of this compounded by the fact, many leaders and teams are fatigued, disengaged and feeling unprepared to lead through the chaos.
Five Strategies for Leaders Today…to be Successful in the Future!
1. Focus on Culture
Collaboration and conversation build community and culture. In an interview with David Rock with Forbes Magazine, Jan.2024, David speaks to the significant impact the pandemic has had on how we collaborate, a key to innovation and creativity. We are now experiencing ‘silo cultures’ in many situations, isolated from each other because of our new hybrid work initiatives. The risk is that connection, community, and culture that support collaboration, can be elusive in this hybrid work environment. Success demands an intentionality to connect employees to each other to foster a collaborative culture.
How are you creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration with intention?
2. Accountability with CompassionEmployees appreciate the flexibility and psychological safety leaders provided during the pandemic. Today they expect continued flexibility and compassion for their needs. Two of my favourite authors, David Rock (author of Your Brain at Work) and Nate Regier (author of Compassionate Accountability), believe leaders today need to find the balance between showing people you care and managing for accountability. And “you can’t have one without the other”! Accountability without compassion drives people away, and compassion without accountability robs people of their true potential, and the organization of results.
How are you ensuring the right balance of compassion and accountability?3. A New Performance Management Model
We have learned surveillance and performance ratings are not improving performance, and checking in on hybrid employees doesn’t work. So how do you motivate individual employees in hybrid working situations? Employees need status, autonomy, certainty, relatedness, and fairness. Eduardo Briceno (author of The Performance Paradox) takes it one step further and suggests the secret is balancing learning and performing. He speaks to the power of fostering a growth mindset. “We can achieve more when we develop the belief that we can change and the competence for how to change.”
How are you using learning and performing to ignite performance?
4. Managing AI & Risk
Conversations about the future, benefits, and risks of AI, are happening in board rooms across the country. Gartner (www.gartner.ca), a consulting firm working with corporate leaders around the world, are hosting Security-Risk conferences (and others) in many cities this year. We will see experts and leaders continue these conversations, as we prepare for the growing need for leaders to align technology initiatives, addressing related safety risks, and ensuring alignment with business goals. AI is not going away; adopting a growth mindset will serve us well. Gartner states: AI also means reskilling for many. HR Leaders need an evaluation framework assessment process to ensure consideration of governance, workforce readiness, risks, and ethics.
What are you doing to prepare your organization for continued AI possibilities?
5. Leadership Development
In an interview with Fast Company, early 2024, David Rock, Leadership trends to watch in 2024 (fastcompany.com) states we need a new kind of leader: “50% of the skills leaders need today are skills they don’t yet have…the other 50% are skills that were always needed but are now required at much higher levels.” According to Gartner, leader and manager development is the top priority for HR Leaders. It’s time to “reset expectations, rebuild your manager pipeline, rewire manager habits and remove process hurdles.” In a survey we did in late 2023, the key issue identified was constant change and resulting fatigue. David Rock says organizations must plan ahead for change fatigue risks, and build fatigue management into their plan to drive successful transformation in 2024. Change is not going away, so how do we fuel the resilience needed in our teams today?
How will you meet your team’s leadership development needs, to ignite strong insights, critical thinking, and reflection, that drive committed action, implementatin, and sustainability in 2024?
Are you ready to GROW in 2024?
The following are two collaborative approaches proven to provide leaders and teams with new insights, critical thinking skills and enhanced engagement to achieve growth.
Executive & Group Coaching: In our 15 years experience with executive coaching, the results are exactly what the Institute of Coaching cites: “Over 70% of individuals who receive coaching benefited from improved work performance, relationships and more effective communication skills. They also report 86% of companies feel that they recouped the investment they made into coaching plus more. And our clients would agree.
“Linda was a powerful thinking partner and catalyst for my growth. She provided a safe place for me to be vulnerable, identify what was getting in my way as a leader, and find strategies to support my growth. Our work together grew my confidence to lead with curiosity, take time for reflection, and take a more collaborative, conversational approach…”
– Sr. VP Oil & Gas (promoted two months later)
Leadership Book Clubs: The Readers of the Pack Book Club Master Class is designed for Executive Leaders, Senior-to-Mid Level Managers, and Newly Emerging Leaders, wanting to elevate your professional skills to new heights. It is a unique, guided, conversational approach to collaborative learning, with accountability to action for leaders at any level of your organization who are readers (book/audio).
Available in two formats: a public program with six to eight leaders from many different organizations with the book of our choice, or customized for your team in-house with a book of your choice.
For leaders and teams, this program will accelerate growth as you:
- Read and reflect: Enjoy learning through reading and sharing thoughts, ideas, and challenges, in conversation with peers.
- Learn in conversation with peers: Want to deepen understanding, hone reflection and critical thinking skills, and are prepared to commit to action.
- Explore different perspectives: Want to get comfortable sharing and listening to different perspectives with an open mind without judgement, just curiosity.
- Celebrate results.
“I am so enjoying this book club and this book…It’s exciting how quickly I am able to implement the practices. The conversation is rich and stimulating.”
___
“…this led to new insights even in the first three chapters I was able to implement. I appreciate hearing the perspective of others to challenge my thinking and deepen the learning.”
___
‘’It’s lonely as a leader. The biggest benefit for me was the sense of safety to have these conversations in an intentional growth space with other leaders.”
As of late January 2024, we have eleven months to make a positive impact this year. While navigating disruption can be challenging, it can also present an opportunity for significant growth and success for organizations that effectively manage these changes and prioritize the well-being of their people.
“In 2024, the leadership landscape continues to evolve in response to dynamic global, technological, and societal shifts,” says a recent Forbes article. “Leaders are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities, prompting the emergence of key trends that are reshaping leadership methodologies and practices.“
If you are looking for a partner on this leadership journey, to support your own growth, or that of your team, we invite your call. Our joy comes from growing leaders and teams!
