4 Trends Managers and Leaders Cannot Ignore

It is no surprise that today’s business leaders face more unique leadership challenges than their predecessors.

Their people are More Dispersed, more diverse, and more passionate with new work and life values….what’s a leader to do?

Addressing the audience of aspiring managers and leaders

The most successful companies have created teams that work together and focus on results while embracing the uniqueness each employee or contractor brings to the process. While on active duty in the military, I saw the skillset experts could contribute to the success of a mission, and now as a retired business owner veteran, I understand the value of giving each team member their own role to play.

Post-COVID workspace

Changing workscape

However, the last few years have shown a glaring gap in good corporate leadership. As a government and management consultant, the most disconcerting and increasing corporate pattern is an emerging trend towards Invisible Leadership. This behavior has created a lot of confusion for both management and team. Invisible Leadership is a phenomenon in which leaders and managers don’t know what to do because they’re caught between colleague and boss and subordinate. Many may feel disconnected from higher management because there is no corporate culture or clearly defined and focused mission statement. And let’s face it, the disjointed working environment over the past few years may have made senior leadership focused more on action than skills.

So many managers, especially newer managers, are left on their own to figure it out.

Relationships and observation-based learning (including mentoring) that were reinforced by daily purposeful and accidental interactions within the traditional workplace has eroded leadership skills leaving leaders and managers to figure out what is required by management and what is needed by their team.

As America steps fully back into production and service it’s critical to understand the new workforce dynamic and also to be able to identify your company’s gaps so you can lift your business to the next level of success. Just remember gaps exist at every level and in every organization.

Here are some trends that need to be acknowledged, understood and incorporated into your business structure, especially if you are growing quickly and want to maintain that growth without the distraction of hiring and retention issues.

Business leaders often forget that it’s not their product or service, and it’s not their process or structure that creates a great company. It’s the employees and contractors. They are, and always will be a business owner’s greatest asset, no matter the industry or level of automation technological advancements make available.

Treating employees and contractors as dispensable will cost even the most creative business owner money, time and reputation

You don’t have time for that!

Stop thinking that good enough is good enough because ultimately, they will be expensive to replace and maybe all they need are things you should be offering anyway like clarity, structure, feedback and support around their job responsibility as well as future opportunities. What your employees and contractors need to feel loyal, productive and happy should matter to you if you want to say that The Great Resignation and Silent Quitting are media-created corporate distractions and not creeping into your organization.