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With the onset of the new decade, the business world is rapidly transforming. This is mainly due to demographic and rapid technological changes. So, what does it mean for leaders of industry? The answer lies in new challenges and opportunities that extend beyond the physical workspace. The disruptions in structure and the functioning of teams mean managers need to change, too.
In a recent assignment, I got a chance to work with a dedicated team that was stationed at a client’s office. It was an experience that not only gave me a fresh perspective on leadership, but also highlighted the new opportunities that come with it. At the end of it all, we successfully managed to overcome these hurdles and crown the success with an award at the PRCA 2020 Awards.
Today, I’ll take you through some of the challenges that the modern-day market presents for leaders.
Workplaces are diverse. It’s no surprise that some managers are leading as many as five different generations in one single team as well as people from various nationalities and of different age groups. Irrespective of the industry, modern day workplaces are diverse and will continue to be so in the years to come.
Managers are leading staff with short tenures, as people don’t aspire to be lifelong employees. Gone are the days when people chose to spend decades with the same organisation. Modern employees aspire for change and new challenges.
In previous decades, management was about stern hierarchies, top-down decision making, and scientific management. But today, we’re steering away from rigid, management approaches. Collaboration is the key, along with the traditional elements of management, targets, training, and feedback.
Workplaces now and in the future will value employee engagement as much as performance management; the leaders will recognise and embrace different points of view. These structures also mean that leaders are less likely to govern several tiers of managers below them.
Being a great leader requires taking proactive steps to improve your capabilities. Committed leaders need to stay on top of current trends influencing their company, industry, employees, and themselves.
In this evolving landscape, leaders and managers who step outside their comfort zone and adapt to and even drive change will be the ones that stay successful. These leaders have the wisdom and courage to try and find new ways to achieve goals. These will support the evolution in their organisation and teams to thrive in an ever-changing environment.
Just like leaders who adapt to change, managers of the future will be creative in their approach to solving problems at the workplace. Evolving business landscapes and disruptive technology means new opportunities that need to be approached with fresh ideas. These leaders will be integral to shaping the change, rather than be just being passive and reactive.
The successful leaders of tomorrow will be those who can identify and close opportunity gaps in their market. In doing so, they’ll effectively manage competitive threats as they arise and anticipate trends and solutions. Broadening observations to find opportunities, exploring new frontiers, and identifying timing and depth of opportunities are crucial elements of this trait. These individuals will innovate to overcome opportunity gaps, and they’ll find new ways of doing things and drive their team to meet goals.
Reem Masswadeh is Client Services Director at Cicero & Bernay Public Relations, an independent PR agency headquartered in Dubai offering new-age public relations consultancy to the UAE and across the MENA region. | www.cbpr.me