Round Table- Leaders For Tomorrow

"Leaders for Tomorrow" is a future-focused discussion with progressive HR leaders who are driving their organizations into the future, through current uncertainties.

For the Round Table held on 24th July 2020, our eminent panelists from different organizations shared their perspective and a peek into the future of leadership with us.

Discussion Synopsis:

Topic 1: With the shift in Business priorities- next 12-18 months, what does that mean for leadership?

• What the current times have shown us is that the kind of speed the organization can demonstrate, despite some of the risks we have had in the past 4 months.
• Product Strategies have changed - the earlier focus was on distribution but now digital touchpoints are the priority.
• Business Strategies are changing, there is profitability in being digital.
• This is a year of survival, business priority would be to stay afloat. Preserve cash and deploy once you see the customers come back in.

Topic 2: What is Critical for Leaders for tomorrow?

• Lead from the front, Walk the talk.
• Scan for potential opportunities and risks.
• Being Customer Focus, Problem Solving, Resilient, Agile, Empathetic & compassionate
• Driving teams through an uncertain environment. We are still in an exploratory phase, it would be dependent on what kind of culture we are in.

Topic 3: What are the Best Practices organizations are resorting to?

• Doing different things and things differently
• Active communication
• Relook at the talent landscape, go back to the blackboard in defining who is our talent.
• Removal of unconscious biases & favoritism
• Invest in Employees health and well being, D&I Policies

Few Quotable quotes:

Ashish Mittal shared that “there is a new kind of Zero-based budgeting, what was necessary by definition has completely changed”. He also sees that "there is an emergence of leaders for the crisis, that is an emergence of trust leaders who are focused on goals & governance and don’t measure people basis the usual yardstick”

He went on to add that “Three things will be important for the future: 1. Frugal Mindset, 2. Pragmatic Orientation, 3. Being Resilient & Empathetic” and that organizations would “start leveraging on the GIG economy, this is where the war on Talent will be fought”

Ashish Taneja said- “This pandemic has shed light anew on talent, with some people stepping up and others not as much, I see a need to relook at the talent landscape” 

He felt that “with all of us going through such seismic changes, reskilling rather than re-engineering of roles is the compassionate thing to do”. He also added, “while mostly all organizations and leaders are speaking about leading with trust and empathy, those that practice it as a part of their purpose and reflect it in the way they work will have a sustainable long term advantage over others”

Gautam said - “ensure that top management has been addressing employees regularly”. In the current times, organizations should also “relook at the D&I and mental wellbeing” of their employees.

He felt that “the competencies & skills might be totally different that we may require for the future.”.

Vishal said that “Compassion is critical” in the current times, and “you want to look at the current times as an opportunity to enhance efficiency and optimize cost, not only be fearing this time”

He also shared an interesting anecdote from his father “in winter's people don't use a lot of soap as they don't wash many clothes. Hence look at how you can enhance and optimize the value of your offering to your customers both in terms of price and impact”

Key Takeaways:

• Empower people across the organization, create leaders at all levels.
• Constant Communication, Connection and Compassion is the key.
• Trust and guide teams
• Stay rooted in values and vision
• Have a clear path, through uncertainty
• Uncertainty Capability- Need of the hour

DDI will bring you more on this theme, through interactions with eminent Leaders.