At the epicenter of an era marked by constant and accelerated change, effective leadership has become more crucial than ever. Today, perhaps always, it is impossible to lead without having feet firmly planted in the present and eyes keenly set on the future. Data allows us to study trends, which provide insights in terms of focus and direction of efforts, as well as dedication and engagement in certain directions.
Data can be used to describe what happened - and why it happened – as a learning opportunity, but attention should swiftly and lightly shift to the future, identifying what will likely happen and what should be done in the given scenario. By analyzing data to spot trends and anticipate future realities, leaders can make more informed and strategic decisions.
One such trend is already present, but there are many possibilities for evolution and change, which is why it requires full attention. This refers to technological and digital advancements, and identifying the opportunities their use presents in business models, how they serve continuous improvement, and promote innovation.
While there's a foundation of leadership skills that must always be present, such as strategic planning, communication, and emotional intelligence, there's a new set of skills in the digital age: social, emotional, and cognitive abilities that enable one to face the challenges of work and digital life, adapt to their demands, and thrive.
Given the dynamics of workplace changes, whether by adopting remote work and hybrid work models, the ability to choose the right communication channel and use the appropriate tools to communicate and collaborate efficiently is a significant challenge. It means using technology to establish humanized connections and facilitate collaboration among team members, regardless of their location. At a time when we're still discovering the power of empathy in face-to-face relationships, we're asked to be able to create digital empathy in virtual environments, involving emotions, careful word choice, observing body language, and voice tone as the only way to succeed.
The geographical dispersion of teams challenges leaders to achieve equity and inclusion for all, whether close or far, in-person or remote. Aware of the challenges of retaining talent, we also know the impact of a leader's behavior on the desire to stay. In a hybrid work environment, creating an inclusive culture that transcends physical and digital boundaries, where everyone feels close, valued, and heard, is very challenging.
Context matters; a positive work environment fosters strong relationships among team members. It's up to leaders to set the tone, nurturing a context that promotes positive relations both in-person and virtually, where trust is the cornerstone, well-being is promoted, individual motivations are attended to, and development is possible.
The acceleration of change demands continuous adaptability and agile methodologies for management and project development, valuing flexibility, collaboration, and incremental delivery. They prioritize speed and efficiency over perfection, allowing teams to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs. It's up to leaders to adopt processes that align with this evolution while critically assessing their suitability and success.
Directing teams to use agile methodologies requires a culture of innovation and swiftness, adopting concepts like minimum viable products, interaction, and "fail fast." Valuing experimentation and continuous improvement, and empowering teams to make decisions and take risks, is a prerequisite to keep up with the new and not be overtaken.
To develop the mentioned skills, the first step is recognizing their importance and necessity, assessing existing capabilities, and based on the results, prioritizing the development of deemed critical areas, considering innovative solutions for creation and growth.
We can conclude that merely using technology in the workplace for operational efficiency and communication isn't enough. A new set of leadership skills is needed to truly harness technology, create an inclusive culture, drive innovation, work agilely, and use data to make better decisions.
Thus prepared, success will be closer, even if the environment is one of constant and accelerated change.
Article by Cândida Santos, Programme Director Leadership Check-in.
