How To Be a Good Leader in Difficult Times

I was stunned while reading this article about How To Be a Good Leader in Difficult Times. Here are some of them:

Leading effectively can be a challenge, but it becomes an even bigger challenge as we navigate an uncertain future where constant change is the only thing we can be sure of. Leaders who are proactive, not reactive, during difficult times and who embrace change and help their teams embrace change will be better equipped to lead their organisations to success in the future. 

During difficult times, team members may require more feedback and coaching to reach their full potential on a daily basis or overcome the obstacles they encounter to do great work. Others may perform better with more autonomy and less oversight. Some team members may need more reassurance about their duties, job expectations, and long-term goals. 

To be a good leader requires a combination of soft skills and other qualities, but, as we look to the future (and with difficult times ahead), are the traditional skills and qualities we know so well enough to help leaders successfully navigate their own uncertainty and continue to lead well? 

Maintain Strong Communication

Leaders also clearly communicate goals and objectives to provide the clarity their team members need to do their jobs well and with self-confidence. Good communication is particularly important when it comes to clarifying expectations for our teams and is especially important during times when responsibilities and duties are shifting, there are staff shortages, or there is increased anxiety and confusion over where the organisation is headed. 

Hold Your Team and Yourself Accountable

Collaboration becomes even more important during difficult times when leaders need all hands on deck to get the job done. But each member of the team has to take ownership of their role for successful collaboration, and they need leaders who are willing to do the same. 

Good leaders don’t throw their team members under the bus for the team’s failures or take all the credit when the team does great work. Even though some leaders opt to blame their employees during difficult times, there is nothing more detrimental to a team’s morale than a leader who is more concerned with passing the buck than taking accountability and helping their teams move past missteps and setbacks.

Be Flexible

Flexibility works hand-in-hand with accountability. Being flexible when possible can increase the likelihood that employees will be able to meet goals and holding employees accountable can ensure that performance and productivity do not suffer when dealing with changing responsibilities, staff shortages, and remote work scenarios. 

Flexibility has grown increasingly important over the last few years, with more and more workers seeking jobs that offer greater flexibility. A recent survey of HR managers found that 70% of respondents cited flexibility as a driver of resignations, the most cited cause in the survey.

Be Adaptable

Adaptable leaders are flexible, creative, and adept at problem-solving. As situations change, they roll with the punches and help their employees adapt and maintain high performance, even in trying times. Agility in adapting helps us not only to survive but to thrive in times of change. Leaders are better able to do this and help their teams do this when they bring employees into the process because it provides them with a variety of viewpoints and approaches to adapting.

Lead Authentically

Authentic leadership is transparent and ethical leadership behavior that encourages openness in sharing the information needed to make decisions while accepting input from others. This helps leaders build strong connections with team members. Building connections with team members that are rooted in authentic trust is so important to keeping team members engaged and motivated to perform well during difficult times. 

Authenticity is key to establishing and maintaining strong, trusting relationships with employees and helps leaders build influence with those they lead because it conveys honesty, transparency, openness, and consistency. It also demonstrates to team members that their leaders are comfortable enough with them to show them their true selves. 

Be Compassionate

Compassionate leaders have positive intentions and genuine concern for those they lead, and they demonstrate this through genuine actions. Compassion takes us beyond empathy. When we empathise, we understand and share the feelings of another person. Compassion is more proactive because it helps us to actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others. 

Developing compassion can help us avoid hubris syndrome and helps us maintain authentic relationships with our teams. In short, it helps us to be more effective, more caring leaders in the best and worst of times. 

Want to know more? Head on over to the full article here for more ideas and perspective. Afterwards, why not drop me an email to share your thoughts at robert@vicleaders.com.au; or call me on 0467 749 378.

Thanks,

Robert