Leading in today’s uncertain world requires skills that are evolving in real time.
Geopolitics, supply chain shocks, adoption of robotics and AI, the emergence of China and the rise of the East, and even multigenerational workforces in the office are challenging current business models and established leadership frameworks.
There is no one solution to this shifting landscape, but our work advising leaders across sectors and geographies has identified some of the key attributes needed to build resilience and cope successfully with change.
First, to bring ourselves and our organizations into the future, we must show boldness and courage in the face of uncertainty. Courage provides the focus and energy needed to create forward momentum and action, even when outcomes are unknown. A courageous leadership stance also communicates ambitious goals and a clear path for people to follow. In uncertainty discretionary effort is withheld and engagement can drop. Courageous leaders role model commitment, risk taking and driving action towards clear objectives. Courageous leadership gives meaning to work, galvanizes action and answers the question “Why?”. Time and again we see it is the Courageous leaders who succeed where others fail, especially in times of change.
Courage is a key requirement for high performance in uncertain times, but used alone it is not sufficient. The boldest plans will not come to life without people’s engagement and belief, a sense of belonging, and an emotional connection to the business goals. Empathy is the second key change skill. It helps bring others with you with emotion as well as action. Empathy involves asking questions, understanding the motivation of others, and the wider context we operate in. Empathy also acts as a filter for better decision making and judgement as we consider the human, social and environmental impact of our choices. Practicing Empathy allows leaders to create a shared sense of meaning, make people feel valued, and access discretionary effort.
Leaders who actively develop and deploy these two key skills can galvanize collective effort that is strategic, relevant, and resilient in the face of uncertainty.