In the last two years, we have witnessed a seismic shift in approach to corporate life. From the over-riding imperative to please the customer to embedding innovation in every facet of an organisation to ensuring business owners, employees and stakeholders feel empowered and supported. The impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns has undoubtedly played a part in this shift but human behaviour and evolving expectations have also shaped our world. As Adam Grant, bestselling author of Give and Take and professor at the Wharton School, notes “during hard times, we are more mindful of others, less narcissistic”. This has led to a dramatic change in workplace dynamics. As well as restrictions on movements and interactions, businesses have had to reimagine their approach to working remotely. This has opened up exciting possibilities for HR leaders who want to experiment with new ways of working and engaging with staff. Perhaps the greatest reward of all is the opportunity to explore who you are as a leader and how you can better align your team around a shared purpose. The Evolution Of leadership workshop Organisations have always revered their leaders. In times of great challenge and uncertainty, leaders emerge and are celebrated for their resolve, ability to inspire and navigate change. In the past century, we have seen many defining examples of leadership. From Fuehrer Scheidemann and his team in organising Germany after the First World War to Winston Churchill during the Second World War and the Sputnik moment where Russia's Sputnik put the West's nuclear weapons to lie. On a smaller scale, consider the actions of Steve Jobs, Leo Docherty, and Jack Ma in building Apple, Hush (parent company of TikTok) and Alibaba respectively. While these individuals were transformative leaders in their time, today we need to zoom out and look at leadership in the wider context of business and society. In times of great change, the ability to adapt and evolve is critical to any successful organisation. The modern leader today faces many challenges. Increased complexity within organisations and growing diversity of employee backgrounds and experiences mean that traditional hierarchies and command and control strategies no longer fit all businesses. As a result, traditional roles and expectations – such as that of the boss stereotype – are becoming obsolete. Even within a business, traditional polarities such as the employee-contractor divide and the worker-manager split are blurring. We need to acknowledge that many businesses are now designed along the lines of a Venn diagram, with distinct circles representing distinct groups of contractors, consultants, and managers. The overlap and shared nature of tasks and responsibilities means that leaders can no longer maintain their position at the apex of an organisational structure. What Is Inner Self Discovery And Self Alignment? We all have a leadership id – that unique voice, whether we are aware of it or not, that compelling inner voice that calls us to action and makes us feel that we can make a difference. It is the unique blend of our inner self discovery and self alignment that shapes our leadership. In Becoming A Leader: Learning From The Masters, James Heskett and Christine Heskett state “no one is born a leader; we are all made leaders – given the opportunities to learn and practice”. This is undoubtedly true. While some may be born with a talent for leadership, most of us need to learn how to become leaders. And this learning happens for the most part through experience. Today, we can experiment with new ways of leading and develop skills that make us more effective as individuals and team members. This, in turn, makes us better leaders and empowers us to have a greater impact. Experimentation Is Key It is one of the greatest liabilities of organisations that they are often stuck in a rut and unwilling to experiment with new ways of working. While the democrats in politics are experimenting with new forms of government, the ones in power are often unwilling to change even the smallest thing. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly shaken the world – and not just the world of business. The organisations that were most effective in dealing with COVID-19 were the ones that engaged their staff in the decision-making process and allowed them to have an impact. This required a strong business case, a clear communication strategy, and effective data collection and analysis. It also required a strong commitment to social responsibility and to ensuring that those most at risk of contracting or becoming sick due to the pandemic were looked after. This meant that the most effective leadership emphasised the collective good over the individual good. The Power Of The Inner Self The inner self is our authentic self. It is the part of us that is our most innocent and loyal – the part that knows no bias, accepts who we are and what we need. In The Rise Of The Inner Self, Robert Jordan and Larry Palmer state that “[w]e are not born with innate qualities and skills; we develop them through exploration and practice”. While this may sound like new age hippie nonsense, think about the last time you experienced a growth spurt. Did you realise that while you were developing your skills and gaining experience, your inner self had also been growing? Consider the impact that a well-executed personal development plan can have. Heskett and Heskett note that “personal development is critical to our understanding of how to be a better leader”. When we delve into the subject of self-discovery, we realise the powerful impact that it can have on our leadership. It is no coincidence that some of the greatest leaders in history are also great personal development examples. Churchill, for example, spent a considerable amount of time throughout his life – a total of 12 years – in personal development. Over the course of that time, he practised speaking English, attended dinner parties, and even taught himself to play the violin. All of these experiments contributed to making him one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known. Experimentation Is Socially Responsible And Effective Experimentation is both socially responsible and effective. When we experiment with new ways of working, we often see positive impressions on employees – particularly those engaged in the decision-making process. This, in turn, benefits the organisation as a whole. When we engage with our inner self and learn how to discover our unique voice and self-actualise, we become more effective as a group and socially responsible as individuals.
leadership workshop
