Being a leader in today’s world poses unique challenges, and many leaders don’t feel equipped with the tools and strategies to face them alone. Leading a team through daily challenges can be difficult enough, but with the world changing seemingly every day, being an effective leader is harder than ever. Hybrid work environments, evolving technology, and unexpected global events are just a few of the obstacles leaders have to navigate through.
The good news is that with foundational tools, techniques, and strategies based in Emotional Intelligence, effective communication, adaptability, and problem-solving, you can confidently and effectively lead your team through any issue that arises.
First, let’s look at the main challenges confronting leaders today.
The 5 Most Common Challenges Leaders Are Facing in an Ever-Changing World:
1. Hybrid work environments
One of the biggest challenges leaders have faced over the past few years is helping their teams transition to hybrid work environments.
By now, most teams are acclimated to working from home and even working from different parts of the world. They have found alternatives to conference room meetings and in-person team building exercises. If you are a leader who has helped your team transition to this new way of working, take a moment to be proud of yourself for all the obstacles you have overcome.
Even so, many teams are still facing the challenges that come with virtual teams and working from home, such as lack of boundaries, poor work-life balance, and ineffective communication.
You may be checking your email at all hours of the day, struggling to stick with a set schedule, and acting on other habits that you wouldn’t have if you worked at the office. It may feel like your work life and personal life are blending together.
In addition, communication becomes more difficult for many people when they lose the ability to express themselves through body language, facial expressions, pitch and tone of voice, and eye contact.
There’s also the challenge of reaching out to other team members virtually when, in the past, you could just stop into their office to talk. Some members on your team may procrastinate, fall behind, and lack motivation when they have the flexibility of working from the comfort of their home. This can result in miscommunications, avoidance, and increased stress for leaders and their team members.
2. Managing global teams
Managing teams in various time zones poses its own unique challenges. A leader must be flexible, adaptable and ready to pivot unexpectedly. For example, if a client meeting was scheduled for 1:00pm ET but the team had a miscommunication and now two essential team members cannot attend, a leader must be able to gather the necessary information from their team members and step in for the meeting. This requires a high level of leadership, adaptability, and communication.
3. Learning and utilizing new technology
How do you guide a team through dramatic changes AND help them adapt to new technologies when you are facing the same uncertainties alongside them?
Considering many leaders are older than the people on their teams, it can feel like you are struggling more than your team to keep up with evolving technology. The truth is, you may have to work harder than those who are younger at understanding the technology your company uses. Researching, taking courses that walk you through new technology, practicing, and being open and honest with your team about your technical knowledge and skills can help you lead with confidence and open-mindedness in today’s world.
4. Global uncertainties
Navigating and guiding your team through political, economic, and social uncertainties that can impact business operations is a demanding, yet important, aspect of being a leader.
Supply chain disturbances, geopolitical instability, fluctuations in the economy, unexpected global events, and natural disasters are all examples of some obstacles that inevitably arise. As a leader, you need the necessary tools to make informed decisions, diversify problem-solving strategies, and adapt to ensure business continuity.
5. Changing regulations
As the world changes, so will rules and regulations.
For example, companies in industries such as energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation are required to incorporate sustainability and responsibility in their business operations. As a leader, it’s often best to remain transparent with your team about any potential changes that may impact them or the organization and to educate them on best practices.
Despite these challenges, leaders are motivated to adapt and create solutions that work for their teams. By implementing tools and strategies based in communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and Emotional Intelligence, and ensuring a strong leadership foundation, you can lead your team with confidence and resilience and help them Unlock Bold Change™ within themselves and the organization.
Strategies for Leading Your Team With Confidence In An Evolving World
1. Establish boundaries and improve work-life balance
If your company or organization has implemented a hybrid work environment, use the following techniques to promote boundaries and help your team improve their work-life balance:
Define and communicate your work hours with your team and stick to them as much as possible.
Your team should know when you are available to discuss projects or answer questions. Similarly, your team members should establish their own work hours and respect the schedules of others on the team.
Designate a specific area in your home where you strictly work.
When you work from the couch or bedroom, the lines between work and personal life can blur. Creating a space where you strictly work will establish a physical boundary and signal to your brain that it is time to either begin or stop working.
Get comfortable with saying no.
When you create boundaries, people and situations will inevitably interfere with them at times. In order to maintain your boundaries, remember that “No” is a complete sentence. You don’t always have to explain yourself, and neither do the people on your team. Foster a culture that prioritizes boundaries and a strong work-life balance. It will help your team reduce stress, avoid burnout, and be more productive during the work day.
2. Enhance your Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Emotional Intelligence is an essential trait in a strong leader. A high EQ allows a leader to understand and manage their own emotions and the emotions of others and promotes empathy and understanding. Having a high EQ helps you understand your team members on a deeper level and recognize when they are in need of extra support, thus building stronger and healthier relationships that thrive in and out of the workplace.
3. Improve personal and team communication
With a few simple strategies, you can create a culture of open and judgment-free communication. This is crucial for fostering trust, collaboration, and a positive work environment that is equipped to face uncertainty and adversity. Here are a few strategies:
Schedule regular check-ins.
In order to stay up-to-date with your team, schedule standing check-ins and put aside time in your weekly schedule for short notice check-ins. Discuss work progress, answer questions, talk about personal well-being (if they are comfortable with it) and ask for ways you can better support or guide them.
Encourage curiosity and question-asking.
Make it clear to your team that you encourage curiosity and asking questions, even if they feel that their questions are “unnecessary” or “dumb”. This will help nurture a judgment-free and more functional team dynamic.
Prioritize inclusion and practice gratitude.
When certain members of a team feel excluded or undervalued, it can create serious communication and relationship issues within the organization. Performance levels may falter and people might avoid asking questions, pitching ideas, and forming relationships with their co-workers. In more extreme cases, they may even feel driven to quit. Because we all have the Need for Connection, it is crucial for members of a highly-effective team to feel included, appreciated, and essential to the organization as a whole.
Encourage risk-taking and embracing mistakes.
Create an environment where learning through mistakes is encouraged. Emphasize to your team that when they experience a failure, it is simply an isolated incident and does not mean that they themselves are a failure. After all, failure is how we learn and grow, and without risk-taking, your teams will stay stagnant and lack creativity and innovation. It is important to note that taking accountability for mistakes is essential to a thriving team. Fostering a culture that recognizes mistakes as an inevitable part of life will encourage team members to take accountability and embrace risk-taking.
Lead by example.
Communicate clearly and effectively in your own interactions. Listen to understand and speak to be understood. Be transparent about your thought process when answering questions or suggesting ideas and encourage others to share their thoughts, remain open to other perspectives, and listen not to respond, but to understand.
4. Refine problem-solving skills
Strong problem-solving skills are a valuable asset in an effective leader. Whether you are dealing with changing regulations, economic instability, or evolving technology, here are some ways you can improve your problem solving skills:
Address problems when they arise.
When a problem arises that the team should be aware of, address it swiftly and with transparency. Approach the issue with a positive attitude and offer solutions so that your team feels prepared and capable of tackling the issue.
Identify root causes of internal problems.
Dig deeper to identify the root causes of problems within the team. This helps in addressing the underlying issues rather than just the symptoms and reduces the likelihood of the same issue arising multiple times.
Handle conflict with open-mindedness.
Conflict among teams, especially large ones, is inevitable. People have different perspectives and opinions that may clash, but it is perfectly normal and nothing inherently damaging to the team or organization. Foster an environment where people feel comfortable sharing different perspectives, and promote open-mindedness.
5. Stay informed and never stop learning
You have probably heard the quote, “In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.”
If you are looking to build your confidence as a leader, being highly-informed on global, national, and local issues, like economic fluctuations and industry-specific innovations or trends, can make a world of difference in how you lead your team or organization.
There is a constant flow of new research and information and the world has no plans of slowing down anytime soon, so continue looking for ways to further educate yourself both personally and professionally, gain a deeper awareness and understanding of new perspectives, and never stop learning. If you are reading this blog, it means that you are already moving forward on your personal and professional development Journey, and for that you should be proud.
Building a positive work environment where communication flows, relationships are formed and nurtured, and people collaborate in ways that help the organization grow and succeed, does not happen overnight. It is a process that requires consistency and commitment. Just as you would expect your team to fail at times, don’t be too hard on yourself. You will make mistakes, but as long as you stay consistent and committed, your team and organization will thrive.
As a leader, your team looks to you for guidance and support, but who is there to support you?
A Life Coach who specializes in Leadership Development and Executive Coaching can be an invaluable resource for objective feedback, insight, support, guidance, and sharpening your leadership skills.
Overcome common leadership challenges and increase productivity, performance, and profitability with the help of an experienced Leadership Coach.
Coach Monique has twenty years of business experience and has developed and trademarked 12 easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, immediately relevant tools, techniques, and solutions for achieving rapid, sustainable growth. All of her work is based in Emotional Intelligence, Brain Science, the Science of Well-Being, and the Psychology of Happiness. She utilizes an Emotional Intelligence Profile and GE Executive Assessment to help her clients drive innovation and Unlock Bold Change™ in their teams and organizations.
