Many of us have experienced a range of different emotions when it comes to facing new work challenges like the pandemic, and steering everyone at the business through these different scenarios has tested the mettle of even the best leaders.
How do you motivate people working alone at home and retain that connection that so many of us took for granted in an office setting?
Thanks to the growth of coworking spaces and some excellent coworking software to facilitate a productive environment, it has been easier than it would have been to keep a team together and lead from the front, even when everyone is not in the same place.
In terms of the need to adapt and change to these new challenges, what are some of the key takeaways that the pandemic has shown us about leadership?
The need to embrace technology
The fact that coworking has become such a mainstream workplace option is a shining example of how technology has transformed the way we live and work. It has also created some leadership challenges that have highlighted the right and wrong ways to embrace technology.
Successful leaders have learned the best ways to use technology to their advantage. Encouraging good use of Zoom and other communication channels is a prime example of using technology in a positive way to manage teams.
A greater level of tolerance and patience is now needed
Not everyone adapts to change at the same pace. Good leaders have realized that getting back to whatever the new normal means, requires a greater understanding of human frailties and a better level of tolerance than before.
A noticeable increase in empathy levels
In a similar vein, it seems that leaders have developed a higher level of empathy towards others than they might have had before the pandemic.
Technology showed us ways to increase the speed that we could complete tasks but the downside to that was a noticeable decrease in tolerance levels when things took longer than expected.
The pandemic delivered a lesson in moderating impatience levels and showing more empathy when leading others to do their work as efficiently as possible.
The need to be flexible and adaptable is greater than ever
The workplace as we knew it almost doesn’t exist anymore and good leaders have recognized the need to display a better attitude towards a more flexible and adaptable approach to managing their team.
This increased flexibility has often delivered better rewards in terms of productivity.
More physically and mentally resilient
A number of successful CEOs have undoubtedly discovered the meaning of being more resilient as a result of the pandemic.
The new challenges the lockdown created included an increase in stress levels and some physical issues relating to a lack of activity.
The need to be mentally and physically more agile is a lesson that many leaders have learned and it has given many a new lease of life having had time to evaluate and absorb these lessons.
The pandemic has certainly created some new challenges and successful leaders have adapted and evolved their management style to meet this head-on.