Dec 1, 20204 min read

We are all human

Observation

Despite all the gloom, human beings remain diverse,

creative, funny and passionate.

At the beginning of last month we found ourselves facing a six hour drive returning home to coastal Kent from the depths of Yorkshire. Having been Radio 4 aficionados for years we have more recently migrated to Heart 70’s, on the basis that you can never get enough Abba and who doesn’t like a bit of Fleetwood Mac? However the thought of singing along to ‘Waterloo’ for the next 300 miles daunted even us, so we tuned back into Radio 4. By the time we turned off the M20 for the last few miles home we had listened to a North London Jewish Dweeb (his description not mine!) who is a comic rapper, two women on the cusp of 40 talking with passion and insight about their positive choice not to have children, the incomparable Sarah Montague hosting The World At One and a very eclectic Woman’s Hour including two entrepreneurs who, unsurprisingly, have seen very rapid growth in their recruitment agency focusing on flexible working.

I did not agree with everything but I laughed and learnt a lot and had a very timely reminder that though human beings can be pretty depressing there is also much to celebrate, admire and nurture.

I am a fan of dealing with reality but in doing that let’s not forget that humanity still has a lot going for it!

“Being human is given. But keeping our humanity is a choice.”

Anonymous

Current Leadership Challenge 2021

I am currently seeing many clients struggling with 2021. They want to provide clarity to their teams and yet considerable uncertainty exists around :

the core thesis – is the business model still fit for future purpose?
consumer behaviour - has it really changed?
digital - how should they respond to the accelerated digital reality of 2020 : should they double down and if so what does that mean and have they got the capability to do so?
the economic future – most believe we are in a recession but will it be a steep cliff or a gradual decline and how quickly will we recover?
wellbeing / engagement / leadership / productivity in an unprecedented period - what should that look like and are they planning for 3 or 36 months?
ways of working - how do they help their teams do: creative thinking, build social coherence and develop the culture, let alone manage the logistics of returning to work in a world where the expectation seems to be that the future ways of working will be radically different and in the short term there can be no certainty around timelines?
financial performance - given the short term reality of cash flow (for many but not all), how can we realistically focus on the long term is making it difficult to focus on much else?

I am concerned that as a result many organisations are sleep walking into an untenable future as a result of not managing colleague expectations or giving enough thought to the above, not least because they are still drinking from the fire hose of operational expediency.

I recognise that is easy for me as a coach, without the operational realities of day to day delivery, to have a view but my own instincts are to:

have a plan rather than no plan and engage people fully in grappling with all the uncertainties, however difficult that may be
use the current challenges as a catalyst for building an organisation fit for the future by doubling down on those areas which instinctively seem here for the longer term ie digital, millennials, more flexible working and employee centred organisations.
ask leaders to step up in 2021 and have a very clear view of what leadership is required from them and to act on it. Not only will this deliver success in 2021 but will also, I believe, cement the culture and relationships for years to come
reinforce the need, in delivering all the above, for leaders to manage their own and their team’s energy, throughout 2021 and beyond
continue to constantly communicate throughout 2021.

I have always advised clients when thinking about their careers to focus on organisations in the ‘new economy’ rather than ‘the old’. I now believe this even more. If you and your business do not have the tailwinds of the new economy behind you then I would be considering very radical action.

“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.

There is a very great distinction because when you are planning for an emergency you must start with this one thing: the very definition of “emergency” is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning”.

Dwight D Eisenhower

Practical Action

Stay Grounded On Leadership That Works

Most teams won’t go far wrong if their leadership check list for 2021 is to ensure they:

have a compelling narrative
clear priorities which are acted upon
upgrade their leadership capability (strengthen the team)
have dynamic processes and ways of working
role model the culture and I suspect a key part of this will be looking after the wellbeing of the employees.