The pandemic significantly impacted the global corporate landscape. Every business function, from HR to sales to marketing, saw a drastic change in 2020. The human resource executives resorted to online interviews, the salespeople interacted with customers online and marketers were introduced to a number of new digital marketing tactics that gained popularity during the pandemic. Amid this crisis, the leaders of the organizations were the ones who took the brunt of everything. They struggled to keep businesses afloat during the extremely uncertain economic conditions worldwide.
Given all these changes, our leaders should also adapt and acquire new skills to lead effectively in this new era. They can acquire these skills by taking online courses. All they need is an online learning platform and a reliable internet connection like the one offered by Hughesnet Packages. So, let’s dive into the list of new skills and traits a leader should have or acquire to effectively operate a post-COVID-19 workplace.
- Candor
The definition of candor is to be straightforward, practicing total honesty without any ambiguity. Honesty has always been a very important leadership trait but given these extremely uncertain times, the leaders need to practice a new level of it. People like to be in the know even if the news is not that great. The unknown tends to fuel anxiety and can also impact productivity. Half-truths, false statements, and empty promises can give employees a sense of irresponsible optimism or mislead them, meanwhile making them aware of what’s going on can prepare them for the future and enable them to work harder.
- Empathy
Leaders are responsible for many tasks and activities that take place within an organization but more than that they are responsible for the people working with them. The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us in profound ways. And now that the employees are coming back to work, it is evident that the leaders might have to wear the hat of a counselor in many ways. Leaders and managers should not only have a sense of when an employee working under them needs to be referred for counseling or to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). They need to regularly check in on the employees either in between meetings or at the end of the day.
- Flexibility and Adaptability
A few weeks or even days before the lockdown, the corporate leaders could not have even fathomed the imposition of such drastic widespread actions. Now that leaders have to deal with unprecedented uncertainty they should avoid making hard and fast rules and decisions in an attempt to appear decisive. They should instead be willing to do their research, review new data and information, and change course if necessary. At times an organization spends months developing a strategy and when it’s time to implement that strategy a new trend comes into the market nullifying months of their hard work. But that’s the game, in order to be relevant, you need to be flexible and adaptable to the changes happening on a global level now.
- Humility
We believe that leaders are supposed to be perfect and free of flaws. They would make the perfect decisions at all times and can’t do anything wrong but the obvious truth is that leaders are just as human and fallible as anyone else. In these unpredictable times, the worst thing a leader could do is make decisions based on instincts and past experiences. There is always some information that a leader may not be aware of so it’s okay to take the help of colleagues, who may be experts on the subject, to make the best decisions for the greater good of the organization.
- Be An Active Listener
As employees and leaders return to a workplace setting, where everyone would be exhibiting an undertone of anxiety, it would be just as important to be a good and active listener. These are one of those unprecedented times when mass opinion will help dictate the future of an organization more than the decisions of the top management only. Be more open to suggestions as the other person may be coming from a place where he experienced more than you did amid the pandemic. Practicing all-inclusive decision-making will not only make you a good leader but will also help you make the right decisions that are good for the organization and the employees as well.
Wrapping Up
Leaders have a paramount responsibility, they are not only accountable for the profitability and growth of the organization, but the well-being of the employees also falls upon their shoulders. In order to create an environment and culture where each and every employee can perform to their natural best, the leaders would have to adapt their leadership traits keeping in mind the uncertain and evolving corporate environment.