Characteristics of leadership have witnessed a change to some degree through the pandemic and the rapid speed of globalization. Although there are new characteristics, the essential leadership skills and practices are still there.
Things change for a reason, so did the traits of good leadership. There are two main reasons for the change in leadership styles: the crisis (covid-19) and rapid globalization.
How did this crisis create an adaptive leadership approach? Did rapid globalization form a new approach for global leadership as well?
We will answer these questions in this blog. Read till the end, because you don’t know where or when you’ll get the breakthrough that will level up your business.
The effect of rapid Globalization on leadership
According to a study done about Global Leadership and the Impact of Globalization, there are many definitions of globalization but all of them had three fundamental elements in common: (a) Economic and political fusion, (b) social-cultural assimilation, and (c) technological adaptation.
Social-cultural assimilation is the part where the change happens. According to Britannica, Assimilation, in anthropology and sociology, the process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society. You might be asking “why are we talking about this, what does it have to do with leadership?”
Well, it has everything to do with leadership.
Leadership isn’t just consistent, it’s adaptive. Leadership skills and practices that are effective in one country may be useless in another because of differences in cultural believes and values.
That’s where the concept of global leadership comes into place. Bauer (2015) further defines global leadership as the ability of an individual in a global environment to motivate others to contribute to the success of an organization.
Global leadership can be described as (influence + change efforts) leading across cultures to achieve organizational goals. As globalization continues to grow, so will the interaction between different cultures. This will require the need to have cultural awareness and adaptability.
Since we know that certain leadership qualities and needs differ depending on cultures, the real question is how should global leaders lead their organizations in a global environment?
To lead in global organizations, you must be familiar with the concept of transcultural leadership, which is the combination between transformational leadership and multi-culturalism.
The skills and practices found in transformational leadership were identified as capable of reaching across cultures to enhance organizational performance and drive needed change in a global environment.
Transformational leadership skills: inspire, ethical decision making (taking cultural beliefs into consideration while making decisions), creating strategic visions that stretch across cultural boundaries. But the most important ones are the ability to embrace other cultures (cultural diversity) and develop a global mindset (think globally):
– Global leaders will need to be culturally sensitive, have a global mindset, and embrace diversity.
The effect of the pandemic on leadership
Little did I know that the crisis would change the characteristics of good leadership until it really happened.
The skin of leadership has peeled off; meaning that the true meaning of leadership is clearer now after the pandemic. For instance, top leadership titles became meaningless as control, command or power were useless during the pandemic.
The pandemic hit everyone with no exception. The pandemic distinguishes true leaders from fake ones. What set true leaders apart from just entitled leaders, were the courage, resilience, adaptation, and empathy they had towards themselves and their people (employees).
When a crisis occurs, true leaders are stand out from the other “leaders”. One vital aspect in every leadership role, only found in true leaders, is: making a positive difference in people’s lives that propels those people to bring out the best in themselves. The pandemic affected people in particular ways, leaders should put themselves in their people’s shoes: what they’re struggling with and how they can support them.
Leaders not only need to practice empathy but also accept empathy from others and be attentive to their wellbeing, as the stress, fatigue, and uncertainty caused by the crisis may lead to lower cognitive abilities and judgment on matters.
– Essential leadership skills and practices that are added after the pandemic are empathy and decision-making in
times of uncertainty.
So yes, it’s safe to say that the characteristics of leadership have changed for the better, where the focus shifted to efficiency and contribution (change).
Do you see yourself as a transcultural leader? If not, what are the steps are you going to take to become one?
We value leaders and their development so reach out to us to see how we can customize some leadership development workshops that propel your team into the globalized, (almost) post-pandemic world.
Guest contributor: Aymen Jammali