What it Takes to Thrive as a Leader in 2021

04/15/2021

What it Takes to Thrive as a Leader in 2021

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou

According to an article on the Forbes website, “it is abundantly clear that those teams who have been able to thrive more than struggle during this pandemic are...being led by leaders who prioritize their people. Empathy, vulnerability, and flexibility, for example, are leadership qualities that have always been important but are now non-negotiable.” The article explains that during times of challenge, effective leaders do these three things: understand and appreciate their team’s efforts; prioritize team effectiveness first; lead on purpose by “being grounded in something larger and more meaningful than the actual work you do; it is about knowing why you do what you do and knowing that you are contributing meaningfully.”

The Art of Leadership book, Developing People recommends that leaders strengthen team effectiveness by making sure to “carefully solicit people’s input before decisions are made. Especially among staff who have been together for a long time, leaders need to be intentional about continuing to involve everyone in decision making as much as possible. It can be too easy to fall into the trap of presuming to know how people think, without actually stopping to check. Even if regular staff meetings are not always possible, written surveys to solicit ideas and reactions to proposals can be quite helpful. Leaders need to make it clear that once all input has been carefully considered, staff members need to abide by and support the final decision. People are usually willing to do so if they know their thoughts have been heard.”

And an article in the Exchange Essentials, “Building an Effective Team,” advises that leaders must prioritize the “time to build relationships, an ability to take multiple perspectives, and a willingness to hang in there when tensions escalate.”

Want more leadership tips and tools?
Plan to attend the McCormick Center’s Leadership Connections National Virtual Conference: Refocusing Our Vision
April 28 – April 30, 2021
Exchange is proud to be a sponsor of this event.

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