The Modern Leadership Issue - 26

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EMBRACE DEVELOPMENT
Great modern leaders actively seek growth opportunities and take time to reflect on
their strengths and areas of development. They attend workshops, take
assessments, meet with mentors, and seek feedback from others. By developing
themselves, they better understand how they show up at work to lead. They also stay
on top of the trends that may help or hurt their businesses. Having said that, they
can't know everything-and may rely on their team to explore trends.
These leaders can trust in and depend on their team because, as a leader, they also
embrace the continuous development of others. They strive to know the people on
their team as individuals, asking:
* What makes my team members tick?
* What are they currently seeking in their career?
* What areas can they develop to reach their full potential?
* How can we help them put their strengths into action even more?
* What role can I, as the leader, play in their development?
Keeping this top of mind can be overwhelming. That's why we recommend not only
capturing employee performance data and feedback for development opportunities,
but also creating a visual dashboard that showcases progress in a personalized way
for the leader (or even for the team).
The best leaders encourage a growth mindset in their team. They model what a
growth mindset looks like, and they recognize and reward employees who continually
find opportunities to develop themselves and others. Time-based communication
and nudges can provide reminders to prioritize development and actionable insights
that support a growth mindset. Systems for badging, social community, and
certifications are also powerful for sustaining growth and development (and can add
some friendly competition).
Consider: We recognize that you need space (and sometimes permission) to
prioritize your development. What cultural norms might exist in your organization that
prevent leaders from embracing development? What conversations might you need
to have so your development is not only allowed but encouraged?
CREATE MEANING
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Simply put, everybody has to know why they matter. It's what motivates many of us to
get involved and participate in what we're being asked to do. When we know our hard
work is valued or contributes to a meaningful impact, we work harder.
Leaders are crucial for communicating how employees fit into the bigger picture. It's
important for any team to understand their collective role in driving desired business
results. Effective modern leaders articulate the value that their team brings to the
organization. They also inspire team members to stay in the game when the going gets
tough. This means, if the game massively shifts (e.g., layoffs), team members can tell
the story of the value they brought and the impact they had, no matter where they go.
It's especially critical for leaders to create meaning during times of change. Leaders
are on the receiving end of a lot of input for change-senior leadership, the market,
their team, the customer. How they receive and communicate that information to
their team has a huge impact on employees' ability to succeed and thrive in the
new normal at work.
Consider: Leaders don't exist in a vacuum-their messages and actions (or lack
thereof) typically are viewed within the context of the organization's broader story,
meaning there can be a ripple effect. Often leaders are asked to connect the dots from
the work their team is doing to the company's mission, vision, and values. Are you
balancing being asked to say one thing and do another? Is the organization articulating
and modeling the same values that you're being asked to champion? Are you equipped
with the necessary knowledge to be a catalyst for the business? (To learn more about
the ripple effect for business transformation, go to page 36.)
The Modern Leadership Issue

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