Infectiously optimistic leaders with a compelling vision possess the superpowers needed to engage today’s workers. Photo: Etech.
Roberta Matuson cites a global study that shows a major shift in what employees expect of their leaders in the increasingly uncertain world of work.
What if what you thought you knew about leadership was wrong? Would you still manage your people the same way?
For years, we’ve been taught that what people value most is autonomy. We were also led to believe what people need most is a sense of purpose, to feel heard by their leaders, and career opportunities.
These teachings may have been true at the time, but it appears priorities have changed.
Gallup’s recent global study adds to decades of Gallup research into what people need from their leaders.
With the topic explored in 52 countries, this study is the most comprehensive examination of the needs of followers on a global scale.
Here are the top three insights:
Hope dominates leadership traits: Hope stands out as the dominant need across followers, with 56 per cent of all mentions about positive leaders falling under this theme.
People cited aspects of hope more than any other leadership trait as contributing positively to their lives.
Infectiously optimistic leaders with a compelling vision possess the superpowers needed to engage today’s workers, many of whom are facing numerous challenges.
Leaders who instil confidence, create a sense of possibility, and provide encouragement along the way will be viewed much more positively.
They will also have significantly less unwanted employee turnover than those who choose a different leadership path.
Trust is highly valued: The next most cited leadership trait is trust (33 per cent), which appears to be in short supply these days.
Telling people you’re letting them go due to low performance, when several months prior you praised them for a great performance, is not exactly trust-building.
Nor is telling people their jobs are safe and the next day informing them they’ve been fired.
Keep in mind that the people who are still left standing in the organisation are closely watching your every move and assessing whether this is the kind of leadership worthy of their talent.
Compassion is in demand: Compassion is another word used to describe the most positive leaders in people’s lives, with 7 per cent citing compassion as a key need – and who couldn’t use some compassion these days?
A day doesn’t seem to go by when either we or someone we know isn’t struggling to deal with a work or personal situation.
A couple of “Looks like you’re having a tough day. Anything I can do to help?” Or “I’m sorry you’re going through that” from your boss goes a long way and adds no costs to the bottom line.
It’s important to understand that as the world around us changes, so do the needs of your people.
Understanding the needs of your followers will help you strengthen your relationships and lead to more fulfilling and productive experiences all around.
Consider adjusting your leadership style to meet people where they are today. The more leaders can provide team members with hope, trust, and compassion, the more successful they will be.
Roberta Matuson is president of Matuson Consulting, which helps Fortune 500 companies and high-growth businesses create exceptional workplaces, leading to extraordinary results. She can be contacted at [email protected]. This article first appeared on Roberta’s blogsite.
