Leadership 2020

Leadership is about what leaders do more than what we say. Ideally doing what we say we will, sets the tone for a successful campaign. If key leaders are not driving the right behaviour and the right focus, progress will undoubtedly suffer. I recently read a great quote: “The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”

The best leaders take an approach of serving the team. They ask what they can do for the frontline team, and they listen and act on the feedback. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard frontline supervisors vent their frustration about executive leaders who feel that they should be served, rather than serving the workforce to ensure that they have what they need, when they need it, in order to get the job done right.

Fundamentally, leaders drive the campaign mindset. Leaders who buy into the need for collective learning and growth, always earn the respect of the team.

Mandela said “We either win or we learn”.

Failure is a necessary part of learning and growth. This requires objectivity and transparency. These elements are only enabled by leadership maturity.

Post COVID, leaders will need to be compassionate and patient as we manage uncertainty and anxiety. Empathetic, servant leadership, adept at more virtual communication will probably be a good way to exceed the somewhat average and apprehensive team expectations prevalent today.

Operational leaders will need to deliver frontline results against a backdrop of executive focus on cost and transition.

The saying goes, "Hindsight is 2020!"

This year has certainly been one we will never forget. But there are three leadership tips, or "leader-tips" which have stood the test of time and will be critical as we emerge from lockdown:

1. Do the right things: be the change we want to see, set the example, act with integrity.
2. Serve our teams: help others succeed, be humble, offer help.
3. Grow ourselves: develop new skills, learn from failure, believe in better.

The landscape is changing and leadership will need to adapt. These three tips remain relevant looking back or forward.

Perhaps this year we can also say, "Foresight is 2020!"