We witnessed a massive change last year, 2020. A change that nobody might have predicted. COVID 19’s impact can still be seen in our daily lives/routines. It is overwhelming and frustrating. Moreover, researchers are predicting drastic changes taking place in businesses worldwide post-pandemic.

The pandemic might not be in our hands; however, as human beings, we have the fantastic ability to adapt to circumstances and find solutions.

Traditional leadership methods are not keeping up with the challenges people and companies are facing in 2021!

Neuroscientists recommend adopting a Vertical leadership development method instead of Horizontal.

Let’s find out brief information on the two leadership styles:

Horizontal and Vertical leadership

Leadership, in simple words, can be defined as the act of leading a group of people or a company. So, as it has been mainly in the year’s pre-pandemic, leadership meant leading your team at the office. Everyone or most of your teammates were present with you physically, so delegating tasks and supervising them was more accessible.

Horizontal Leadership Development. 

In the previous year’s leadership meant:

• Following traditional leadership development methods.
• Learning new skills and building leadership competencies.
• Perform tasks that we are fully capable of doing.

This is Horizontal leadership development where the leader has to achieve pre-defined objectives and be a master in fields with agreed-upon results.

This has worked in the past but may not work that well in recent times of immense change.

Many companies are now opening up to the idea of Vertical Leadership Development instead of Horizontal development.

Vertical Leadership Development

Vertical Development refers to changing your way of thinking and behaving. It means expanding your mindset. Instead of helping your employees perform tasks, you empower them to apply their skills in the new changed environment.

Vertical development teaches leaders how to think in more complicated, strategic, and co-related ways. Leaders learn to lead in complex and uncertain scenarios.

How can I be a better leader in 2021?

Pandemic has caused leaders to lead remote teams. Last year was all about settling in the new norms, and it still is. Successful leaders will understand and appreciate that their team/employees work with the extra efforts and capability necessary to achieve goals during such unsettling times.

Here are some ways to be a fantastic leader in 2021:

Improve your Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

We are living in times of crisis. So the first thing leaders should work on is improving their emotional intelligence, that is, emotional quotient. Our emotions should not affect us or others in an unhealthy way. A leader should be aware of how their feelings and reactions affect their employees and people in general around them. Improvise your verbal and nonverbal communication skills to improve your EQ.

One more way of improving your EQ is by developing your soft skills as a leader. A leader in 2021 has to handle their employees with diverse backgrounds with different areas of expertise. Hence its high time leaders develop their soft skills such as adaptability, time management, and communication skills.

Moreover, not just you but also your employees should be provided training courses to improve their soft skills. The result of this will be satisfaction in employees regarding their work, and their effectiveness will increase.

To Focus on maintaining trust and respect  

When your team trusts you as a leader, to show them trust and respect, they won’t hesitate to consult you regarding any issue they may have and share their concerns/needs. A leader has to build and maintain trust and respect in his team to survive the pressures of a pandemic in 2021.

Ways a leader can build trust in his team:

• You have to understand as a leader that building trust takes time and effort. You have to be honest, sincere, and available for your team. You have to walk the talk!
• Be honest. Even if your employees might not be ready to hear something about their work, you have to be honest with them and be sensitive to their feelings at the same time.
• Don’t make false promises. Try doing what you say you will do. This helps in building trust over time.
• Be an active listener. Listen to any of your employees’ concerns and provide them with feedback.

Become tech-savvy

Leaders come from different backgrounds and vary in age. Some are tech-savvy, while some get intimidated by technology. This is the perfect timing to enhance technology if you want to be a good leader.

Learn how to use the apps that your company uses to organize meetings, collaborate, and share their work. Moreover, help your team to lean into the discomfort and get used to the new technologies so that the team continues to deliver great work.

Have a team meeting

If you haven’t already, it’s time to pause, sit with your team, and discuss with them the following:

• Reconnect with the team’s common goal.
• Ask your team about the challenges caused by the pandemic and how it is affecting them in achieving their goals.
• Re-create your goals for the following year.
• List down the three priorities for achieving success.
• Which new behaviors should be adopted that will ensure that your team works efficiently in these times of pandemic.
• Be transparent. As a leader, you have to understand the realities of your company and what risks you are facing. Effective communication will help in supporting your company despite the remoteness of 2021.

Manage your time and context differently.

We realized in 2020 that working in an office is very different from remotely. It is not simple to transfer your office work to your home. Working remotely means crowding meetings, presentations, and whatnot in zoom calls. Our working context has altered. Hence we have to organize our time and routine around how we work depending upon the kind of work we are doing and the team we work with.

Considerations have to be made regarding what work has to be carried out synchronously and asynchronously. What work has to be done during the meeting and whether everyone from the office has to be there in the discussions. It is a skill to design your routine and work culture for your new type of workplace.

Shift your leadership style

Leaders should review their current leadership style and make inquiries regarding any cons in their style of leadership. Businesses now require a culture with democratic leadership. This helps in building trust in employees by having effective communication and boosting their morale. It leads to quick decision-making. Employees can express their ideas with this type of leadership.

Take care of your employees’ well-being.

COVID 19 has not just affected businesses or the economy of the world. It has impacted people. You may have employees being infected with the coronavirus or, in worst cases, employees losing their loved ones due to the pandemic. Mental health issues are on the peak among people due to the pandemic too. Hence, as a leader, you must show empathy and invest in your team’s wellness. Practices that you as a leader can implement to ensure your employees’ well-being:

• Having flexible working hours
• Organizing seminars/programs to educate your team regarding mental health and wellness issues.
• Providing benefits to employees who are working remotely.

World’s Greatest Leadership

Fortune lists down 50 World Greatest Leaders every year. We want to mention the most outstanding leader of 2021. We aim to learn from the leadership skills exhibited by this leader in such a challenging year that passed by.

The 50 leaders chosen by the website were from different backgrounds, such as in business, athletics, government, or ordinary citizens. It is common among them all that their actions made the world a little better in crises.

Jacinda Arden- World’s Greatest Leader in 2021

The prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Arden, was declared the best leader in 2021 in Fortune Magazine. Her leadership was praiseworthy during the volcano eruption in 2019, the Christchurch attack, and then the pandemic.

One reason why Jacinda Arden became praiseworthy of her leadership was her empathy towards the people, her strength and resilience that made her lead in times of crisis and tragedy.

Another skill that we adored about this leader was after the Christchurch attack in New Zealand. Jacinda Arden’s response was quick and progressive, just like it should be by any great leader. Within two days of the shooting, the prime minister had restrictions on gun laws around the country. According to Diadem: “The ability to respond quickly and effectively to changing circumstances is crucial to establishing credibility and inspiring trust in your people.”

To sum it up, Jacinda Arden displayed honesty, empathy, and agility, which are essential skills for a leader. Hence, if you want to be a great leader, you have to talk the talk and walk the talk when it comes to soft skills.

Top 3 leadership books to read in 2021:

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.

The leadership styles are changing. There is a dire need to re-learn how to be an effective leader. It is difficult for leadership to go without learning. Leaders in 2021 are quick learners who are open to uncomfortable situations and learn from every new experience.

It does not matter what your role is if you want to be a successful leader, then it certainly is worth it to consider reading the following books:

1. MEASURE WHAT MATTERS by John Doer
2. WHO NOT HOW by Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy
3. LEADERS EAT LAST by Simon Sinek

Future of Leadership

In tough times like now, it is challenging to plan about how we can solve today’s issues while planning, preparing, and anticipating what happens afterward in the future. However, leadership skills necessary for the future will be having great vision, agility, empathy, and transparency. It is high time that companies empower their leaders to alter their working styles if they want to succeed in the new digital economy.

Conclusion

Finally, according to studies by various researchers, the most critical aspect of being a leader is to have a higher purpose and being connected to your true aim as a leader. It will not always be rainbows and unicorns without any difficulty. However, if you are connected to something higher and more meaningful, you are likely to succeed in such times. Find meaning in your work. You should know why you are doing what you do (purpose) and how you contribute positively to yourself, your team, and your company.

These answers aren’t easy and require you to spend some time soul-searching and stepping outside your comfort zone. The aim is to make yourself prepared to be a leader in the uncertain world.