A new leadership style has begun to emerge, one that reflects the uncertainty and chaos of our pandemic era. This new brand of leadership brings together two elements that seem oppositional: first, handling immediate threats in a rapidly changing and unpredictable time, and second, engaging in strategic planning at a time when everything we knew has changed and the stakes are incredibly high.
In the past, leaders often had the luxury of focusing on one or the other at any given moment, but leaders today need to balance these elements daily and even hourly, managing their way through the present day as they plan for long-term outcomes.
Here are some of the elements that make up this new style of leadership:
Leading from known to known. In many respects, you need the ability to take what you know and apply it over and over again to what you’re doing now. Where something is working, keep it up as long as possible with only minor adjustments as needed.
Leading from known to unknown. In other areas, you need to be able to combine strategic thinking with trust in your own knowledge, experience and instincts. This approach starts with identifying the forces that will shape your organization’s future. Then you begin exploring the unknown by considering all the ways those forces interact and projecting a range of possible future conditions. Finally, you adjust your view of the present on the basis of those projections, their likelihood and consequences, then use those models as the foundation of strategies to prepare your organization for the widest range of possibilities.
Leading from unknown to unknown. Our uncertainty about the future is compounded by our inability to compare the present to anything we have ever experienced before. Without any parallels to the past, it’s even harder to envision where we’re headed. Imagining multiple futures in creative ways isn’t just a mental game: it heightens your ability to read subtle signs and sense what may be coming so you can lead your organization in adapting to those changes—and even shaping them—in the years ahead. To lead with this foresight doesn’t help you know what to think about the future; it helps you know how to think about the future.
Leaders today need to understand and meet emerging demands in the highest levels of crisis and chaos most of us have ever experienced. At the same time, they must be keenly aware that the future—like our idea of “normal”—has changed direction and isn’t going back to what it was. Whatever shape it takes, that future will need to be driven by new ideas and innovation, and the leaders who will be most successful are those who can combine steady management with a willingness to embrace disruption.
Lead from within: The world needs leaders who can embrace all the knowns and unknowns of today while charting a course toward a new vision of tomorrow.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
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Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.