What is going on with Leadership?

What is going on with Leadership, is your leadership blocking others?

As the year draws to a close, I want to share some of my observations of leadership and predictions for the coming year.  Three years ago, the world of work was turned upside down, and what we believed about life, work and leadership changed.  Working practices took several steps forward, admittedly during 2022 we have taken the odd step backward.

Some of this year’s Leadership Observations.

• Given that every organisation has changed, they have done a good job of recovery and planning for a different future. However:
  • • Senior leadership teams are tired and burn-out is high.
    • Most if not all the pre-pandemic levels of goodwill have been spent.
    • Many SLT’s are still slightly understaffed.
    • Women are still underrepresented at executive levels.
    • With extra strain and uncertainty, some teams have been slow to agree strategies.

Middle Management Leaders are also over worked and required to seek too many approvals to make simple decisions. Team numbers are impacted by days absent from work, which is at an all-time high.  Many people state that they are struggling with their wellbeing.

Of those who could work from home 30% still do and many have a hybrid of home and office.  I know there has been a lot of talk about hybrid working and reduced office space, but let us not forget that 60% of the UK work force, can’t and never will work from home.

Thoughts for the future. What’s next?

To succession plan for Senior Leaders, organisations need to look within, right into the corners of their business.  There are plenty of talented, loyal future leaders already with you.  The right person with the right approach to leadership can be developed faster than you think.  However, some organisations will have to overcome cultural attitudes and bias’s, that exists about, time served, previous level of education, and the old, “Who you know” factor.

I heard recently that a high number of senior executives state that having an SLT mentor helped them on their career path. What was more interesting is that most of the female executives didn’t have mentors from within the SLT.

A few Suggestions:

• • • If you want diversity you have to mentor that way.
    • We can help others lead by delegating down and letting them lead
    • Help leaders feel confident about their decisions
    • Ask yourself; what are you doing for your work community? The good-will bank will not fill itself.

The people, structures and environments within many organisations have changed, and what used to work may not anymore.

Perhaps not surprisingly we have noticed a steady increase in Executive and Senior Leadership Team Coaching.  It’s common that we all, leaders included, revert to type or our comfort zone’s when under pressure. Coaching helps senior leaders make sense of their world when it is fluid and uncertain.  Understanding and breaking free of our limiting beliefs or biases must happen to enable the organisation’s purpose and values to be present in our decision making.  How leaders make sense of the world is important; creating the right space to reflect on our actions, behaviours and thoughts is a critical element in our development.  Once we master ourselves, we can improve other vital aspects of leadership such as listening.

In succession planning, we need to be prepared to look for leaders in all areas of our organisations, listen to them, provide access to senior mentors and access coaching for leaders when they are being promoted or are transitioning within the organisation.

I look forward to seeing you all leading the way in 2023.

Created by Stuart Mander.