According to research by a major management consultancy there is evidence of shifts in leadership style and behaviour during the pandemic. This has taken the form of focusing on the short term, taking a more hands on approach, closing down debate in recognition of the need to make decisions quickly, generally adopting a more reactive style whilst working harder and longer in the face of increased financial pressure. The consultants believe there is a need for the leadership of organisations to get back to strategic management with a focus on the future. They urge organisations to put aside crisis management in order to better Inspire, influence and provide long term strategic clarity. They recognise that during these challenging times many senior managers/leaders have neglected their own development and are relying on past skills when they need to address future skills. It just so happens that as management consultants they have a range of products and services that can meet these future skills needs!
Despite the clear pitch for work there is a valid point about chief executives, senior managers and board members needing to address their own developmental needs.
What this is really about is the need to move from being a wartime leader to a peacetime leader. Good leadership before the pandemic was different to good leadership during the hight of the pandemic and good leadership post pandemic looks very different again. The leadership needs to change their style and behaviour accordingly and since it not easy to be both an effective wartime leader and an effective peacetime leader they would benefit from help to make the transition. Especially as this is not back to how things were before. The alternative is for organisations to change their leaders.
Post pandemic leadership is much more about where we are going and how we propose to get their, looking further ahead. It is about leading an agile organisation able to take advantage of a diverse workforce by empowering employees and so the emphasis will be on people management skills, influencing , inspiring and shaping. Most of all maintaining belief.
Blair Mcpherson former Director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
