Who Has Got What it Takes to Lead People?

We are currently experiencing a dynamic that will hopefully not be repeated anytime soon. The rapid and drastic changes that have been prevalent since March have placed particular demands on managers - it is more important than ever to keep teams together and maintain productivity. Now it becomes clear who is able not only to manage, but to lead. What are the basic requirements?

No room for egoism

The crisis as a common context means that we have to work together. Suddenly we have this common problem, which puts individual interests on the back burner. Selfishness has no breeding ground, because action can only succeed by consensus. It is a step from “I” to “we”. Or, as Otto Scharmer so aptly puts it with his "Theory U": From Ego to Eco.

"To the extent that we can see our inner attention structure and its source, we can change the outer system.”

In other words: If you manage to take into account the inner origin of human action in leadership, cooperation and the implementation of projects, you can change relationships, systems and processes sustainably. This is a movement that has been going on for years and is now getting an additional boost in the current situation.

So, the development goes from the individualistic to the common. Only a manager who knows the individual, at the same time has an eye for the big picture and does not act egocentrically will be able to form a team that pursues a common goal - and achieves it. The primary prerequisite for this is the emotional state of the employees. And this can only be achieved if you deal intensively with each individual, really get in touch and establish relationships.

Happiness as a productivity factor

A brain in a positive state is more productive, powerful and creative than in a neutral or even negative state. Various studies can prove this today. This basic state of happiness can be achieved by ensuring the managers:

• show appreciation for employees’ work
• listen when employees share concerns
• grant support and scope for action
• let employees make their own decisions
• make their employees’ contribution to the success of the company tangible

Managers who are now in a position to relinquish some control, to trust, to give room for maneuver, to invest in and maintain relationships, to encourage employees to work together in their teams and not to lose sight of the human factor are the ones who will have the most loyal employees after this crisis.

So, if you have a management responsibility, you should now take this momentum from the current situation and use it for the further development of your team and the entire company.

Based in Switzerland and working globally, Thomas Gelmi has been supporting leaders and their teams in companies of all sizes, across cultures and in a wide range of industries. These include globally operating organizations such as the WTO, Siemens, Roche, and Credit Suisse, as well as SMEs and private clients. He focuses on the development of personal and interpersonal competence in leadership, teamwork, and customer contact. Born 1968, he now lives near Zurich.

More: www.thomasgelmi.com