Everywhere we look it seems people are looking for examples of good leadership. So many profound changes have taken place in society and community, in business and in physical and mental health. We don’t yet understand how different our worlds are going to be or who will emerge as leaders or followers.
In the context of owner managed businesses, which leaders (formal or informal) will be most effective in taking the business forward post Covid-19?
Experience so far has been a rush to implement remote working. Leaders have had to set goals and trust their people to follow up and make their own ways towards achievement. For many that has been successful and high satisfaction levels with remote working have been reported.
As it’s becoming clear some element of working from home will continue in the long term, attempts are being made to strengthen and improve these set ups.
The best business leaders are now clearly communicating their vision (their WHY) and creating a big, positive picture that their teams can believe in and they are listening to and responding to feedback.
Next will be the requirement for a step by step plan for all of the changes needing to be implemented and rigorous management of the change projects. Business owner managers should seek out and act on advice from colleagues, mentors and other business owners.
Customer and employee survey feedback is showing that people are valued where their concerns are given legitimacy and responded to with empathy.
And it’s here that informal leaders are also emerging. For example individual employees who have listened to a customer, responded to their need and involved colleagues in redesigning business processes or individuals who have helped colleagues to cope with health and wellbeing challenges and set up schemes to provide support in the business. Surely now ‘command and control management’ has come to an end as we understand people have to want to do things – you can’t just make them.
It’s not just the business owner managers who are developing new leadership skills, everyone in the organisation now has an opportunity to step forward and lead a positive change.
In a very short time, we have had to rapidly and radically change the way we work, deliver and lead. And in the same period, we have had to change the way we live. Effective leaders (formal and informal) will also therefore be taking care of their own health and wellbeing as well as developing their skills.
If you think you may be benefit from leadership coaching to help take your business forward contact linda@stepsforgrowth.co.uk FREE support is being offered at the present time.
Further Reading:
Start with Why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYeCltXpxw