How to Lead in a Time of Uncertainty and Polarization

 
 

How to Lead in a Time of Uncertainty and Polarization

The pandemic has upended traditional leadership models. Leaders need to be more nimble, forward-thinking, and acknowledge the need for a diverse workforce at all levels. We spoke to Lamart Clay, Covising Owner and Leadership Coach, on how leaders should adapt to volatility.

February 23, 2022

Work environments today are more polarized, more intense, and more volatile. And as baby boomers are leaving the workforce, millennials have come to expect a different kind of leadership, communication, and overall experience that aligns with their values. Mature leaders will understand that a traditional response to new workplace challenges won’t produce effective outcomes. Leaders must utilize different leadership styles best suited to the challenge.

TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STYLES

Lamart shared his expertise on leading through polarization in uncertain times by unpacking different leadership styles and how they should be flexed:

  1. Authoritative — This style should only be used when necessary during especially uncertain times. The pandemic is a good example of a use-case: sometimes, for everyone’s sake, it is necessary for the troops to fall in line.

  2. Delegative — This style is best for teams with individuals who have skills and interests that are not being utilized. Maybe you want to enhance a team member’s development through proper delegation. If your team is new or has young talent, try this style.

  3. Collaborative — This style is particularly popular these days for how it complements the efforts of diversity, equity and inclusion. At its core, the collaborative leadership style values DE&I because it ensures everyone’s voice is heard. With all the sensitive topics tied to work—vaccines, hybrid models, etc.—this style can work miracles.

  4. Servant — While Lamart acknowledges this style is not a one-size-fits-all approach, he believes it’s the most evergreen because it touches every aspect of leadership. Be warned, though, that this style requires leaders to look inward and examine themselves. To serve your team well, you need to have your own ducks in a row first. Lamart notes this style is effective for how it makes a full circle between connections and results.

While all the above styles may be used at different times, one element should always be present in each approach: empathy. Leaders that don’t have empathy or compassion for their teams and organizations will lose employees. We all know that folks are leaving their jobs at a record pace. In 2021 alone, more than 3.95 million people left their jobs on average each month. In Lamart’s experience, “employees don’t leave companies, they leave leaders.” Leadership, at the end of the day, all comes back to treating people right.

LEADERSHIP AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DE&I)

Speaking of treating people right, the soft data is telling you to invest in DE&I. Built In reports that 48 percent of the next workforce generation, Gen Z, are racial or ethnic minorities and that more than 3 out of 4 workers prefer diverse companies. Not only is DE&I in the workforce increasingly valued, it’s good for your business. Diversity in management can increase revenue by 19 percent while companies with higher gender diversity are more likely to beat industry median financial returns by over 15 percent. All data aside, investing in DE&I is simply the right thing to do.

If DE&I is going to come to fruition at your organization, it should include the following elements:

  1. Appoint chief DE&I officers. But don’t stop there—DE&I shouldn’t be a separate endeavor; have the DE&I officer report directly to the CEO or most senior person at your organization. Change must come from the top for everyone to buy in.

  2. Tie DE&I to compensation. It’s simply a matter of fact that DE&I must be worthwhile in order for folks to spur change. So put your money where your mouth is and give your DE&I program the funds and resources it needs to succeed.

  3. Build different pipelines for diverse candidates. Historically, the diverse population of candidates has been excluded from professional pipelines which decreases their access to top positions. Bring awareness to the issue and make the change.

  4. Increase your DE&I knowledge and resources. Join a networking group that specializes in DE&I; participate with local colleges to create partnerships; recruit in untraditional places; and explore free online resources like diversityinc.com.

Above all, lead with ethics and with your heart and convictions. If you or a leader you know needs dedicated time and resources to develop an agile leadership style or explore DE&I, contact us about our leadership acceleration services. We can help.

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