Leading the organisation today means Creating a new path through the disruption hastened by the epidemic affecting the health of everyone, as well as the economy. With no roadmap how to manage this crisis, the leaders have to create their path.
Agility in leadership is more important now. How to empower the team to solve problems resourcefully when there is so much uncertainty? How to ensure organisational survival, engage shareholders and ensure their support when resources are scarce and cultivate the capacity to cope with imponderables?
There are three imperatives for great leadership - managing the team, managing network, managing yourself. When the objective is to manage the organisation through the crisis and get them better prepared to manage any crisis, neglecting any one of these factors can damage the organisation's capability.
Managing the team - focus on purpose and learning.
The primary role of a leader is to create an environment that empowers the team to be a problem solver.
- Teams should have a sense of shared purpose and also capable of learning quickly.
- Innovation thrives on diversity and conflict. To meet the uncertainty, team members must believe that they can make a meaningful contribution.
- Have a clearly defined purpose that guides the what and how.
- Help the team learn together at speed.
- Instead of setting directions, create conditions for the team to co-create the future.
- In uncertain times, when data is incomplete, imprecise, collect, validate and develop working hypotheses, act on it and then learn from results.
- Delegate and clarify decision-making rights to cross-functional teams.
- Include people with diverse experiences to get fresh ideas and insights.
Managing your network.
As digital technology gains growing acceptance we are becoming more interdependent and aware of the cost of inequalities within and across countries. As the future becomes more ambiguous and complex, one needs to look out, search for new sources of information, cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with those on whom success depends.
Hence it is essential to manage our networks with agility.
Leaders must map out interdependencies important to your success - suppliers, partners, customers and community. Determine how to influence and support those members in order to get the resources you need to respond.
Align around priorities and purpose. Work to form partnerships of network members to support the team goals and help others in the network to achieve theirs. Seek colleagues across organisations to help your team solve problems.
Focus on creating and sustaining relationships, make effort yo connect frequently, find ways to help people to harness their creativity and resourcefulness.
Rethink on how you are reaching out to customers. Serve your customers, avoid selling. To serve them, listen to find out what they need and how you can help.
Managing yourself.
Being an agile leader requires a continued commitment to your development. Your values, beliefs, strengths and weaknesses demonstrate your true character. Leadership is about emotional connect.
The purpose is the glue that holds people together and mutual trust is the grease that allows them to work together. Without trust, people will not share their fears and weaknesses.
Transparency is the key to building trust. Share your feelings and vulnerabilities and at the same time project strength and confidence. Stay true to the commitments you have made.
Those in positions of authority run the risk of burnouts and so take care of yourself responsibly. To stay mentally fir, seek help or support if necessary.
Navigating the next.
The challenges of leading through uncertainties is an ongoing process and will never go away. These crises present an opportunity too. This will help you discover how resilient and also whether you can rise to the challenge of agile leadership. Build culture and capabilities that spark innovative thinking.
Develop your abilities to learn as much as you can as fast as you can. Cultivate mental and emotional toughness that will allow you to go against your instincts and make choices despite knowing some ill disagree with you.
Co-creating the future of the organisation would be the test of your leadership capability. It will take imagination, persistence and moral courage. Use time wisely and rethink what is possible.
Linda A. Hill • MITSMR 2020/08
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