Leadership.
It’s one thing to get there. It’s an entirely different thing to stay there.

If there is one thing that has remained constant throughout human evolution, it’s that we need leadership. This was how the earliest groups of hunter-gathers we formed. We need that one person in our social group, be that at home or at work to tell us where we have been, where we are and finally where we are going to.

Now for the Leaders of the Modern Workplace and the Challenges they FACE

#1 Challenge – When you are appointed to become a leader for the very first time.
Most companies, new leaders are selected from a group of non-managerial individuals who perform their day-to-day tasks well. In other words, transition is not planned well for an individual to move from a non-managerial role to a managerial one. This mis-step can have a significant negative impact in the work environment.

#2 Challenge – When an experienced leader is hired to become a Manager in a new company.
Some of these Managers may be too eager to prove themselves by implementing new changes before making a sincere effort to understand the people and the working culture of their new working environment.

#3 Challenge – Senior leaders who have remained with company for years but may not have progressed to a Senior leadership role.
I call them the “Lingering Manager”, some of these leaders are too comfortable doing what they do and have difficulties evolving and adapting to new strategies. Example, sometimes a Gen X leader does not know how to communicate and effectively manage a Gen Z staff.

#4 Challenge – Legacy. This applies to leaders.
What are you going to be remembered for? What is the impact you have left on your team and organization? In other words, when you leave the company, will your staff give you a standing ovation or will they be glad that you’ve finally decided to leave?

#5 Challenge – The burden of leadership is not for the faint of heart.
Your journey is filled with obstacles and made more eventful with the addition of people at every corner waiting for you to trip and fall flat on your face. To start the journey, you need to have the right attitude. To survive the journey, you need proper guidance. When you complete the journey, you would have earned wisdom.

Now that I’ve scared you a little, it’s time to answer some simple questions. If you are a leader in your workplace, are you an effective one? What does being a leader mean to you? Do you have the necessary skills? Do you know what is really expected of you?

Congratulations if you have managed to overcome the four challenges and have justified answers to the questions above! You are and effective leader! However, if you are finding it challenging and it’s starting to get at you…maybe it’s time you learned the The Art of Leadership.

Feel free to chat with us LIVE if you have any questions 🙂