Leadership really comes to the fore in times of crisis. You tend to see the true mettle of people when they are truly up against it. It’s pretty easy to be a leader in the good times, but when things get tough, then a leader either rises up and leads, or they tend to disappear into the background. In my view, this tends to distinguish between a boss and a leader. A leader tends to deploy vision, instil confidence and a sense of security whereas a boss tends to try to micromanage, measure and set unrealistic goals to convey a sense of control, both for themselves & others they consider may judge them. The latter doesn’t inspire, they just use fear in order to control, which is not a condition in which people thrive and grow.

Since the pandemic, I've heard of companies displaying great leadership, but I've also heard of some placing spyware on their employee’s laptops, and others fitting cameras to ensure they are always working. That's not leadership, that's toxic and cynical in my view.

Anyhow, we have said before that there have been two broad responses to the crisis, basically in line with the human amygdala’s flight or fight response in times of trouble. In terms of COVID, we saw that many, perhaps encouraged by furlough schemes, waited for the storm to pass while others continued to work by adapting and innovating. The latter is the best course of action in our view as it reduces the risk of your business becoming a victim of the situation. And this is important as victims are powerless.

But for a business to achieve this kind of approach does require an inspiring leader with an adaptive mindset and a culture where collaboration and a willingness to take a risk are part of everyday life. And in terms of a leader, this person in our view is a person who is prepared to put their organisation and their people before their own needs.

In this social media dominated self-centric age where individual success seems to be paramount it is surprising to note that the most effective leaders tend not to behave in a ‘me first’ way. Great leaders possess generosity, modesty and genuine care for their people and their organisation. The rockstar leader (perhaps a style we normally assume is what great leaders will behave like) is almost always only really in it for themselves. And this, with some outlier exceptions such as Elon Musk, doesn't always translate into commercial performance.

Simon Sinek in his book 'Leaders Eat Last' lays out the argument that generosity and patience are powerful pillars of leadership success. On observing how US Marines come together to dine, he noted that leaders always eat last. After their people have eaten, only then will they eat. He noted that leaders serve their people. Not the other way around. This attitude creates what Sinek calls a circle of safety and this build unity and shared purpose.

When we feel safe among our own, the natural reaction is a sense of trust, so we co-operate and feel motivated. When we do not feel safe, the natural reaction is cynicism, paranoia and self-preservation. I am sure that we have all worked at a place where the climate is toxic and the priority is about complying with an uninspiring set of rules. When rules are more important than people, there is an ensuing black hole in terms of creativity. And support for people is not considered important at all.

At times of stress, it should not be the leader’s role to amplify this stress even further. Quite the opposite! A leaders role is to empower their people to adapt and achieve, to grow, collaborate and make them feel as safe as possible.

This is why we launched the FuturePrint Leaders Summit. And hearing from some of the industries leaders is both inspiring and interesting. We know the content will be helpful and we hope that you join the event and gain some validation and inspiration. From listening to what they have to say generally, we know that there are all bullish and optimistic about the future! And this in itself is useful, as we all need optimism right now!!

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