Pascal Bachmann, founder and CEO of Strategy Achievers.
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In the decades past, most people considered their job to be only their job, nothing more. Whether or not they enjoyed what they were doing, they showed up, put in the hours and went home—and the cycle repeated itself every working day.
Interestingly, today’s workforce is shifting. Many employees want their jobs to align with their lifestyle, beliefs and advocacies. And this calls for a drastically different type of leadership than what was needed 50 or even 10 years ago.
Given this shift, business and organization leaders are propelled to go with the change of time. The question then is: How should leaders lead in 2023?
Have a clear vision and communicate your 'why.'
In present times, leaders need to be crystal clear on their vision and learn how to communicate what no one else can see, which makes it a big challenge for many. You are the creator of your vision, and only you can see the picture of the achieved future. Do not expect anyone else to see what you see, and know that your employees don't need to see what you have in mind. But as a leader, you need to be able to communicate why you do what you do. Your team and the people around you need a purpose and a goal that they understand and believe in.
What’s in me for it?
Most entrepreneurs ask, “What’s in it for me?” Leaders should take that script and flip it around: What’s in me for it?
Leading is not about how much you can gain but how much you can give. After all, you started this journey to solve a problem and serve people. Those who enter a business from a pure profit standpoint are the ones who tend to struggle. Ensure that your team understands the higher cause of what they are doing. It makes a huge difference if they work with you and want to truly achieve that one thing instead of simply working for you!
Lead with empathy.
Employees need to know that you understand them and you care. They want to know that you see them as people—human beings with feelings and emotions—and not robots.
This requires a delicate balance of understanding and giving your team space while constantly challenging them to grow and improve their skills. Care, let go and trust!
Create a company culture.
Employees want to be happy at work. I mean, who doesn’t?
Being happy comes from having a sense of purpose and understanding your contribution to the whole picture, which we have already discussed. But it also comes from liking those you are working with.
While you can’t force everyone on your team to be best friends, things like developing a company culture can help.
Create a culture of teamwork, not competition.
Make it the norm in your team to band together and help each other. If you can, reward collaborative efforts.
Things become toxic when work becomes competitive and employees only look out for themselves.
So ensure your team members understand that they don’t need to fight over recognition and rewards. There are enough resources for everybody—which may even multiply if they work together to get there!
Create a culture that reflects your company’s values.
More than encouraging everyone to be team players, create a culture that reflects what your company stands for and what you plan to achieve.
For example, if you are a company that works to save the seas, make sure no one is bringing in single-use plastic! Or if you are a company that promotes healthy eating, don’t provide your employees with fast food at work meetings.
By incorporating your company’s vision and philosophies into your employees’ everyday lives, you can help them understand further what you are all working towards, which helps them to be “on mission.”
Let your team do their magic.
You hired these people because you saw something in them—you felt they could do a good job. Involve them in strategic planning sessions and hear their input. Once the plan has been made, don’t micromanage them.
Employees want to feel ownership of their work. They want to show you and themselves what they can do. They also want to feel that they are part of a team, can make meaningful contributions, and are more than merely someone to give instructions to.
Give your employees the space they need to create, experiment and discover things independently, and sincerely listen to their ideas. They will appreciate you as a leader more for it.
Think about this analogy.
In October 1915, tragedy struck Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, while on a quest to cross Antarctica, pole to pole. He and his crew were forced to abandon the boat, hopelessly trapped in packed ice, and survive the forces of nature for almost two years. Amazingly, all 27 members of his crew lived to tell the tale.
Though a man from over a century ago, Shackleton displayed many of the leadership skills needed in today’s world: He had a clear vision (first to cross the Antarctic, then the survival of his entire crew), gave all of himself to the goal, constantly boosted the morale of his men by projecting confidence (his “company culture”), trusted each of his men to do their part and so much more. When the crew members were asked why they thought they survived, they answered, “We believed in Shackleton and knew that when he said something, he would do it. We didn’t want to disappoint him by dying because we all knew he would come and get us.”
Business in the 21st century can sometimes feel like an Antarctic expedition, full of unforeseen curveballs and challenges. But as long as you keep your vision clear and have a dedicated team, you can overcome anything.
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