What Qualities Really Define A Business Leader Post Pandemic?

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Petrochemical Business|8 Steps to Becoming a Better Leader Within Your Petrochemical BusinessThe seismic effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic have impacted every single aspect of our lives, with the workplace and commerce in general changing unrecognisably in the space of just a few months. As workplaces transform and adapt in an effort to overcome the unique challenges they’re facing, so too do business leaders have to change and grow in order to remain effective. The pandemic has clearly shown us that leadership is much needed, and as the future continues to be uncertain, it will matter even more as we try to salvage an economic and social recovery. The right leadership has become a matter of life and death – quite literally in a lot of cases – and strong and intelligent leaders are now required to manage fractured supply chains, piece together industries and revive customer confidence. So, what are the key traits of successful leadership in a post pandemic world?

Empathy

You may have never thought of empathy as a key trait of a successful leader. But really, the pandemic has been a collective trauma for everyone, so displaying an understanding of that is absolutely crucial. Empathy can be displayed towards your own staff and also to society in general, modelling yourself after leaders such as Joz Opdeweegh who have called for support in society to combat the worst effects of the pandemic. Implementing Employee Assistance Programs and making sure they’re functioning effectively is a must, as is providing genuine support and encouragement to staff. You may need to also review some of your HR policies, especially around areas such as sick leave, dependents leave and access to counselling. If you fear that you lack natural empathy, make sure to surround yourself with others on your organization that do – you need to avoid any responses that may be seen as tone deaf or insensitive, as you could really damage employee morale and loyalty at a critical time.

Consistency

One of the things causing such distress for a lot of people is the lack of consistency that the pandemic has brought – rules changing overnight, conditions escalating rapidly. No one likes to live with continuing uncertainty, so it’s our role as leaders to provide consistency with our approach. Always base your decisions and communications on data. Making data-driven decisions removes emotion and bias from the equation and allows you to explain your decision making. Communicate clearly and frequently, even if there aren’t many new items to relay. This gives staff a sense of confidence and a knowledge that they can rely on your updates, and it doesn’t create a void for gossip and speculation to fill.

Flexibility

This ability definitely needs to become part of your professional development goals.
The ability to pivot is more vital than ever, as customer needs, supply changes and the economic landscape around us all shift rapidly. Responsiveness will begin to define those companies who are able to thrive and those which are devastated. Review new information and circumstances constantly in order to incorporate them into your decision making.

Steps to Effective Business Leadership

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StrategyDriven Management and Leadership Article | Steps to Effective Business LeadershipIt’s important for business owners to have strong leadership skills first and foremost to ensure that the business succeeds, thrives and is able to remain in business.  Leadership skills help provide a vision for business projects/products/services and are necessary to help motivate employees to be their best.

Leaders often set the tone for morale, motivation and commitment, all of which affect the stakeholders/customers and again in large part determine whether the business will succeed.

Business owners also have to be able to establish an effective organizational structure, while influencing employees and very often the business owner/leader will have the strongest influence on employees and a good leader will be able to inspire and effectively communicate the mission and the vision to the employees so they feel empowered to do their best and be their best.

The business owner/leader has to be strong enough to balance the needs of the company with the needs of the employees; balance the need to get things done with the need to teach and mentor; along with balancing good professional boundaries with the ability to be empathic and accessible all the while balancing the demands of the job with the needs of the people who work for you.

Identify what the priorities are for the leader; you must also include short- and long-term goals, balancing the daily demands with the longer-term vision and mission.  The goals must be objective and clearly defined (SMART Goals are best-Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound) and should include goals related to mentoring and fostering leadership in others, stronger relationships through advocating and support when needed; they should include goals related to active listening; developing increased confidence; time management; accountability and responsibility; cognitive flexibility )able to adapt/pivot when needed); should be able to make smarter and more strategic decisions while still managing, time, tasks and people and these goals should be focused on the development of the individual.

The best leadership goals every leader should have should include, but are not limited to, developing strategic thinking; active listening; coaching and fostering growth in others/employees; delegating… they should focus on self-discipline and personal responsibility; building resilience in self and others; developing multiple areas of expertise/competence over time (as indicated in #2); learning and understanding how to effectively influence and persuade others to follow while also focusing on the big picture while minding the bottom line.

Other important things a business leader should know about leadership development goals include keeping a long term focus; development goals should be few and simple so as not to confuse, overwhelm or detract from the priorities (goals should fit the SMART format/criteria) and it’s important that the achievement of goals be recognized and rewarded relative to the impact the completion of that goals had on the individual or business/organization.  Also, measure/monitor progress toward goals and provide regular feedback and coaching as needed.  Remember, the success of any business or team is dependent on the leader. A good business owner and leader knows how to inspire and motivate, adapt and problem solve and demonstrate personal ownership and accountability and leads by example.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Dr. Aimee Harris-NewonDr. Aimee Harris-Newon Psy.D., DABPS, C.HT. is a double board certified integrative and interventional psychologist, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and master success coach. She’s considered an expert in integrative health and believes in a holistic approach-treating the body and the mind.

She leads a very successful integrative and functional health and wellness practice, serving clients locally and internationally. She and her multidisciplinary team focus on wellness, preventive care and coaching to help people live healthier, happier and more satisfying lives. What makes her truly unique and exceptional is her broad and deep skill set and her approach to health and wellness.

As the founder and director of Dr. Aimee and Associates, and now The Center for Integrative and Functional Health and Wellness, Dr. Aimee Harris-Newon and her team of experts don’t just treat symptoms, they solve health problems, create better outcomes and change lives.

As a coach, Dr. Aimee Harris-Newon has worked with individuals and corporations including FedEx, UPS, McDonald’s, Red Bull and the U.S. Army. She is a frequent speaker at Harvard and regularly appears on television news shows such as ABC, NBC, and FOX. Dr. Aimee Harris-Newon also hosts the popular radio show, Mind Over Matters on AM 820, which airs every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. CST.

4 Ways To Be An Exceptional Manager To Your Team

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StrategyDriven Management and Leadership Article |Manage Your Team|4 Ways To Be An Exceptional Manager To Your TeamDo you want to be a better manager to your team? These tips will help you master management and be just that

1. Be A Good Communicator

It is crucial to be an effective communicator with each and every member of your staff, since all employees are unique this may mean that you need to refine your communication approach for each member. Granted, if you tend to bark orders at your staff they may quickly get into line, so to speak, but the atmosphere that you will create will be one that lacks motivation or good morale, in fact, you may even leave yourself open to a case for bullying or harassment in the workplace.

It is true that there are times when you may need to be firm, however, this can be done by using a clear and direct approach, on the other hand, other staff may respond more favorably if you use a friendly and casual approach. The more effective you are at communicating with your staff the better performance you will see.

Your communication should be consistent across the board and not lean towards favoritism. If you want to create a working atmosphere that is all about development and independence than you need to create a sense of stimulation rather than demand.

2. Employ An Open-Door Policy

When it comes to staff satisfaction, effective communication is key. Staff will tend to feel happier within their position when they feel that they have a boss they can turn to freely. The best managers are ones who encourage suggestions and are even open to constructive criticism; employees could easily have an idea that hadn’t even entered into your head. Employee engagement is something that should be desired not shunned. This provides a great basis to talk about current issues and possible solutions; the best results always come from the whole team working together. Managers that are at the top of their game tend to be the ones who genuinely care about their staff and recognize the value of worker feedback when it comes to the success and continues growth of there company.

3. Employees Need Feedback And Praise

Each staff member needs to know how they are doing. There are few things that could come even close to motivating employees than a sincere well done. When you need to give feedback that isn’t positive, it should still be given in a constructive way. This will all help your reputation.

For instance, if there is an area to an employee’s work that you want to be improved it would be a good idea to first remind them of areas where they are performing well. If you go in with only negative feedback there is every chance the employee will respond with a sense of resistance and your message will be lost.

A healthy team thrives on regular feedback, an aspect which is all too often overlooked. With a workload planner you can monitor task completion and give credit where it’s due, click here to find out more. A boss that is supportive feels compassion towards employees and is ready to provide the right support when required.

4. Be The Example Your Staff Need

The actions, speech, and attitude of the leader are ultimately what the rest of the team will imitate, hence the leader needs to set the right tone for the whole team. This tone isn’t complicated it’s about the simple things; being punctual, showing an understanding of what each staff member does, supporting team members, and the likes.

As well as this, a good leader will take responsibility when they make a mistake rather than try to lay the blame elsewhere. This will create an atmosphere of trust and respect meaning that your team will willingly go the extra mile for you.

What is the most powerful behavior in the leader’s toolbox?

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StrategyDriven Management and Leadership Article |Leadership Behavior|What is the most powerful behavior in the leader’s toolbox?Why is it that some people who appear ready, willing and apparently able for promotion into positions of leadership either fail outright, woefully underperform, or at the very least never come close to reaching full potential? I’ve seen individuals from diverse industries and cultures who are extremely proficient as individual contributors, for example, get promoted to lead small teams and, despite great promise, simply fail to deliver. It’s much more common than one would imagine. Why is this the case?

In my experience, study and research of the topic over the past thirty-five years, one common theme emerges – many of these leaders do not lead with care and compassion. This is not to say that these leaders as individuals are uncaring. However, their focus, attention and energy are weighted too heavily in other areas of the business and not in developing relationships with their employees. For example, I’ve seen leaders struggle because they spend inordinate amounts of time focusing on results rather than their vitally important role in achieving those results.

The goal for every organization is, of course, mission accomplishment. While there are many roads to get there, leaders who have good working relationships with their employees get there with less drama, staff turnover, lower cost in labor and material, among other metrics, compared with leaders who lack these relationships. [1] Higher trust translates into higher performing team. In other words, the fastest, most efficient path to mission accomplishment is through trust.

How does a leader earn trust? Leaders, researchers and thought leaders generally agree that there are three essential behaviors. The first is technical competence. People are more likely to trust a leader whom they believe has the technical know-how and experience to make good decisions. The second is consistency. A leader must do what they say they will do, follow through on commitments and keep their promises. The last behavior is care and compassion. The leader needs to build relationships with their team members and show that they care for their well-being. Competency, consistency and caring – all three are important behaviors in earning trust. However, of the three, showing care and compassion is the most powerful and fastest way to earn trust.

In fact, leading with care and compassion is extremely powerful. I’ve seen people successfully lead teams where the leader was not technically proficient in the area of work. For example, I’ve seen Navy non-commissioned officers whose expertise was aircraft maintenance successfully lead medical teams. While these leaders were certainly not rendering care to patients – they weren’t proficient in that area – they were rendering care to the relationships they had with their Sailors. They understood the importance of building those relationships and focused their time and attention accordingly. These leaders excelled at listening to their Sailor’s concerns, showing empathy and ensuring that every single Sailor was able to feel engaged, fulfilled, supported, and recognized. In the end, they were leaders who people not only wanted to follow, but loved to follow.

My choice of the word ‘love’ is a deliberate one, and an accurate one. Fascinating research has recently shown that when a team member feels care and compassion from their leader, profound changes occur at the neurotransmitter level within the team member’s body. In fact, their level of oxytocin increases significantly. Oxytocin is a molecule also known as the “love hormone” – its release from the brain is triggered by social bonding. Oxytocin levels increase when two people hug, for example. Researchers have shown that when leaders lead with care and compassion through positive social interactions, oxytocin levels increase among team members, along with engagement, joy, and overall performance.[2] When people say they love working for their leader, they literally do love working for their leader.

When followers trust their leader, the path to mission accomplishment is much easier to traverse. The most powerful behavior in the leader’s toolbox to earn that trust is care and compassion. Show your people that you care for their well-being and they’ll consistently deliver.

[1] Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin, The Great Workplace, (San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass, 2011)
[2] Paul Zak, Trust Factor, (New York: American Management Association, 2017)

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Mark BroukerMark E. Brouker, Captain, United States Navy (retired), Pharm.D., MBA, FACHE, BCPS, is founder of Brouker Leadership Solutions, and author of the forthcoming book Lessons From The Navy: How To Earn Trust, Lead Teams, And Achieve Organizational Excellence. For more information visit http://www.broukerleadershipsolutions.com/.

Six ways to be a better business leader

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No matter what industry you work in, becoming a better leader in your area will be the career goal, many people aspire to fulfill. Some skills that many of the best figureheads have can be learned, or just come naturally to them. Either way, you can use them as examples of how you can improve your own performance.

Some of these top leadership skills can be very subtle yet hugely effective – but performing them in just the wrong way can have a negative effect on how people see you in the workplace. However, analyzing some of these behaviors (a few of which are listed here) will help you on your way to becoming the business leader you want to become.

Communicate effectively

The most successful business leaders will most likely be master communicators. The key to becoming a better leader will realize how to put your ideas across effectively – and persuade and inspire others. It is also essential to be able to listen keep an open mind when it comes to receiving feedback, for instance, so you can gain valuable insights.

Keep learning

Make sure your own knowledge does not become old and outdated, as this can affect both your professional development and your brand. Business is evolving at an astonishing rate, so you need to know about the latest techniques and trends.

That includes finding out more about the economy, your industry, and competitors, plus your own team. You should also work on the skills related to your role’s responsibilities and may consider enrolling in further education or taking a management course.

Take responsibility

A characteristic you should not have is to blame others when something bad happens. Accepting your role in your team’s actions – and the consequences – will help you get respect and trust. This means you will create a culture where you learn from mistakes and improve.

You can also take responsibility by ensuring errors don’t occur: you could check your company’s IT system is secure by working with brands such as INFINIT Consulting, Inc. This will help identify potential issues before they arise by using a managed IT service.

Be positive

Transformational leaders will have an optimistic attitude that is inspirational for followers: otherwise, team members may become uninspired if a leader seems apathetic or discouraged. You should also try to stay positive even when things look bad. That does not mean you should see things using rose-tinted glasses, but instead maintain that feeling of optimism even with challenges ahead.

Encourage creativity

Teams should be encouraged to use their creativity. As an effective leader, offer new challenges with the support they need to achieve these objectives. These goals should be within the abilities of your team – so they can stretch their limits but are not discouraged by barriers to success.

Be a role model

You should show the qualities that you want to encourage within your team. If you do, then these group members will admire you and will work on mirroring such behaviors themselves. Using idealized influence is also one of the main components of transformational leadership.