Expectations v. Reality: How to handle leadership moments

Every generation has watershed moments. How we tackle these moments and process our emotions depends on how we have been trained. Change demands focus, perspective, and reinvention. Seismic shifts—including the acceleration toward digital channels triggered by the pandemic—can include relocation to a new city to capture career opportunities unavailable where you are or it can entail enrolling in higher education such as an MBA at a top academic institution. Backed by personalised marketing, let your profile sell your attributes and skillsets to other organisations than the one where you currently find yourself. Those who do not act will at some point find themselves punished for not taking action sooner.

For those in pursuit of leadership roles

Leadership is a noble pursuit. However, look around you. How many in your organisation claim to exercise leadership based on titles or a sense of entitlement? We, however, are not fooled. Leadership is not an award. Real leaders don't care for merit badges or recognition. They have a vision and a sense of purpose. Their goal is to get us to find ours so we can act together in unison. Should you truly believe that you have something to offer then you must be all in, continuing to invest and experiment even amid uncertain macroeconomic conditions. Loosely translated, get that MBA you've been promising yourself, but keep putting off.

Secondly, the perpetual whiplash of the digital revolution has altered everything from how we network, interact, and solve problems. We don’t work the same way or lead teams as previous generations did. Perhaps it is time to tailor strategies on third-party marketplaces to achieve e-commerce excellence across the full marketing and sales funnel. If you use these tactics, you are more likely to hit your professional and personal growth targets.

Leadership demands more than just an understanding of market trends

Leadership also requires human values to be steeped in compassion and empathy. Failure to exhibit these essential traits doesn't make you a leader, no matter how much money you earn. So how do leaders navigate these waters? The answer is more complex than you think: judiciously.

Digital enablement feeds the fire of change

In a recent interview, Evan Spiegel revealed, “I want to make it easier for brands to be brands.” The takeaway is that you will need to restructure how you or your venture communicates and what it stands for rather than what it sells in the marketplace.?By any reckoning, culture always matters. The challenge for leadership is to help us navigate our intersecting identities and allegiances. The hidebound, pompous, and self-righteous are always finger-pointing and searching for scapegoats.

Culture should reflect the dynamics of decency, respect, and trust. For leadership to thrive, trust is essential but only valid when rooted in authenticity and awareness. As Richard Branson aptly states, you will have an eager group of advocates happy to be your brand ambassadors by putting your employees first.

Your next strategic choice is to put yourself at the center of your agenda. Think of how the entrepreneurial icon Steve Jobs did this. He started a revolution because he gave people a mission they could believe in. "Think differently" was more than a mission statement. It was "why" Apple existed. Jobs understood that if you share your values, people will join your cult and buy things they never knew they needed and can no longer live without. His most effective legacy was not the tools we love but his sense of purpose to make our world a better place.

What leadership demands

Exercising leadership is a constant challenge. It demands that you stand by your core beliefs, build trust, and be responsive. In our view, engagement must always be total. Most?professionals agree that innovation is essential to the process of renewal. However, this term is often misunderstood. A superficial understanding pegs this word to technology and science alone. This is only a tiny part of the equation. Imagine what would happen if a majority of people altered their consciousness.

This is a road less traveled because it demands something most people feel uncomfortable with, authenticity. People think that if they are too authentic, then they are too personal. This is the side of the business that builds the most trust. Most organisations demand compliance, not awareness of authenticity. You can identify these firms without a problem. An accountant’s mentality rules them. These are the bottom-line data-driven nerds who took the word human out of human resources. In their lexicon, resources are to be used, i.e., exploited. Why not start by empowering people and valuing their performance? Create a proper learning environment. Encourage risks. Applaud boldness. Celebrate humanity.

Millennials intuitively know this, which is why they reject their predecessors' business vision. Will they become better leaders? Time will be the judge. For those of us in leadership roles today, we have a responsibility. Make your journey all it is worth and leave a legacy where people are genuinely valued.

About the author

Andrew Scharf is an Award-Winning MBA Admissions Consultant ?? Executive & Career Coach recognised for helping top performers, and aspiring professionals be all they can be. His?mission is to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world at?Whitefield Consulting. Have a professional project you would like to discuss, send him a DM.