Navigating Culture - September

Welcome to Country Navigator's September newsletter. It seems that this month, along with the rest of the world, we’re looking at what makes a genuinely good leader.

After 70 years as a world leader, 17 British premierships and 14 U.S. presidencies, people around the world keep referring to the excellent example of Queen Elizabeth’s leadership. ?

Chances are, no matter what part of the world you're sitting in right now reading this, at some point, you must have asked yourself: How is it possible for one person to lead a nation for so long and with such unwavering support??

We asked ourselves the same thing and want to share with you the lessons we believe we can take from the late Queen on what makes successful and devoted leadership.?

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NEWSLETTER CONTENT:

• Lessons from a great leader
• Free Masterclass: Power Up Hybrid Teams
• Latest blogs

LESSONS FROM A GREAT LEADER

1. Listen

"She made you feel as if you were important." is one of the thousands of tributes to the late Queen collected by the BBC after the announcement of her death.

The point is simple. Would you commit to a company if you felt you weren’t valued? Would you get up every day willing to give your best for a company’s goal if those who set the goals don’t listen to you?

You wouldn’t. And neither would your employees.

As a leader, you need to listen to your employees to learn what empowers them and what might be holding them back. One minute of your undivided attention to what your employee needs can do much more than hours of speeches and endless presentations about company goals and mission.

2. Lead through change with compassion

As the former US president Obama put it, she lived "through periods of prosperity and stagnation - from the Moon landing to the fall of the Berlin Wall". And she stayed a source of stability and a model of resilience.

How did she do it??Through compassion.?

Resilience is important, especially during uncertain and turbulent times. But it won’t be enough without compassion. You need to understand what your employees are going through. Active listening, empathy and patience are key. We must reassure, not with empty promises that all will be okay, but with authentic care for individuals.?

3. You need to be flexible

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II is thought to have visited at least 117 countries and met hundreds of world leaders. Can you imagine the communication skills you have to develop to be able to converse and build relationships with so many different people with diverse cultural perspectives?

Of course, we can imagine that things were easier for the Queen than they would be for the non-royals. But the number of heartfelt tributes and statements about the way she treated the people she met teaches us something. She is a great example of how far flexing your communication style can take you, while still being devoted to your own values.

As a global leader, you need to adapt your communication style and look beyond your cultural lens to truly listen and understand the people you work with.

4. Influence reaches further than power

No power, resources or a personal army of world-class PR specialists could achieve the kind of loyalty and respect she enjoys from people not only in the UK, but around the world. The world has seen many who tried and too many that are still trying.

Listening and building relationships is essential for successful influencing. It can be as much as how you make the people around you feel. As a global leader or a leader of a cross-cultural team, you need to observe how others communicate, process information, build relationships and express concerns.

In fact, whatever your role is, when it comes to delivering a message, we can apply these lessons. In all situations, if we want to build strong relationships, reach understanding and build inclusive environments we should do it by listening, showing compassion and being flexible.

FREE MASTERCLASS: Power Up Hybrid Teams

Leaders and employees around the world are facing one of the biggest changes to the way we work. Hybrid working has brought new challenges that call for a completely new set of skills.

Are you also working in a hybrid team? Do you and your colleagues struggle with collaboration and engagement?

Why not join our free Masterclass on how to Power Up Hybrid Teams? One of Country Navigator’s top performance development coaches will share practical ways you can improve collaboration in your hybrid team and overcome the challenges you and your peers are facing.

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