Top Voices: Impactful Leadership

I was thrilled to be included on the LinkedIn Top Voices in Leadership list that was published today. The list features ten inspiring leaders, and it is an honor to be included alongside such accomplished and talented executives.?

For my feature, I distilled down some advice I gave in an earlier post: how to lead through an economic downturn by staying connected to your teams, being transparent, and raising expectations. You can read more of my advice on that topic here .?

As I read through the rest of the advice in the post, I was struck by how consistently certain themes emerged. Regardless of industry, role, or experience, it seems top execs are coalescing around a few key ideas in leadership:

• Empathy. What was previously considered a soft-skill is now a must-have. Recognizing our shared humanity and leading with compassion and respect are requirements for successful executives today.
• Communication. Especially in difficult times, a leader needs to overcommunicate with their team. Share your vision, your strategy, and your setbacks openly and honestly, and your team will thank you for it.
• Inspire and empower. Great leadership entails inspiring your team to dream big, and empowering them to reach those goals. Invest in your people as individuals, and create an environment that recognizes and rewards talent.

It’s gratifying to see that these ideas, which have been guiding my leadership strategy for some time, are becoming ubiquitous among top executives. Taken together, these three themes work as a guiding philosophy for leaders today—one that I can whole-heartedly stand behind.

Did any other themes or ideas from the post strike you?