3 Leadership Trends For 2024

As we get set to begin 2024, something is clear: we can anticipate more market shifts and globally significant events. Effective leadership will be more crucial than ever. Leaders who can help their teams navigate through the coming year’s transitions with resilience and agility will create the greatest value.

I get to work with dozens of organizations each year and get to see some remarkable leaders in action. From those observations, here are three essential leadership skills that may be the most effective in leading through change in 2024:

Prioritize Transparency

In turbulent times, communication becomes the backbone of successful leadership. The best leaders create workplaces that value truth, encourage constant up and down communication, and insist on marked transparency. Managers in these cultures share even the hard facts with their employees as soon as they can, and they encourage debate even if it rattles harmony. They leave the “pillows” at home and don’t soften the blows. Employees know that their managers will be truthful and direct, and that builds trust and a larger culture of openness.

Keeping your team informed and engaged is essential not only for maintaining trust, but also for preventing misinformation. Thus, put some thought into developing a clear and transparent strategy to communicate with your team that includes regular updates on the reasons for the “why” behind any change, the expected impact, and the role each team member will play in the process.

Of course, effective communication is a two-way street: Succeeding in 2024 will require actively listening to your team’s concerns and suggestions. Create forums for open dialogue where everyone feels heard, whether frequent team meetings, one-on-ones with each direct report and skip level, or digital platforms. Be prepared to address resistance or uncertainties you hear and take time to clearly articulate the benefits of each change and how it aligns with the organization’s goals.

Diagnose What Employees Are Feeling

This is a new skill that managers weren’t asked to put into practice even a few years ago, but leaders must now learn to understand and diagnose what their employees are facing on the job: whether that be overload, work-life balance challenges, or mental health issues such as stress, burnout, anxiety, or reduced energy levels. As leaders, we must be on the lookout for changes in employee behavior that might signal potential problems and be willing to compassionately address the issues. Part of this is humbly accepting and understanding how we—as their leaders—might be contributing to the problem.

The best leaders are taking time to address specific areas that drive heightened anxiety: For example, they try their best to stem employees’ uncertainty about the future, especially about the organization’s strategy for contending with challenges and how it affects their job security. Leaders will also help balance work among team members and guide each team member in prioritizing their most important tasks. They’ll also provide clarity about individuals’ prospects for career growth and development, and make sure everyone feels included in the team.

Cultivate Adaptability and Resilience

The ability to help a team adapt to change and bounce back from inevitable setbacks will be the third hallmark of effective leadership in 2024. As such, great leaders will provide opportunities for learning, cross-training, and upskilling to ensure that their team members feel they are growing more versatile, valuable, and can handle a variety of tasks. Also, leaders will take time to acknowledge and celebrate the small victories of their team members along the way, creating a feeling of optimism within their workplaces.

Psychologists point to two other crucial factors that separate those who are able to recover faster from setbacks: mastery and social support. Mastery refers to the ability of individuals to see themselves as having a degree of control and influence over their lives no matter what comes their way. Leaders can help with this by giving team members a voice in decisions that affect them, teaching people to counter negative thinking about change with more proactive thinking, and finding ways to be grateful for the good things that occur each day in their teams. As to social support, leaders must spend time building teams that have positive and supportive social ties. Especially important in this process is that colleagues and bosses be receptive to each other and care about each person’s mental wellbeing. When we feel our team members have our backs, we are more likely to feel accepted, valued, and able to overcome challenges thrown our way.

As University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman’s research showed, every one of us can develop more resilience, learn how to better bounce back from setbacks, and stay the course through tough times. As a leader, your ability to demonstrate your own adaptability by being open to feedback, adjusting strategies when necessary, and showcasing a willingness to learn from successes and failures will instill a sense of adaptability and resilience within your team.

There’s a good chance that 2024 is going to be another challenging year for leaders and businesses. But this coming year can also be a time of growth and development and of personal and team achievements. Leading through change will require a combination of effective communication, greater empathy, and a heightened focus on adaptability and resilience. By embracing these principles, leaders can guide their teams through the challenges of an ever-changing landscape and position themselves for greater success in the future.