In business, creating a five-year strategic plan was often the norm as revenues and expenditures were carefully forecast for the upcoming years. Of course, there were unknowns, but all in all everyone was operating in a fairly well understood time. Now the entire script has changed. In a world where 500-year floods now come every 10 years, and a pandemic turned global economies upside down, the only thing certain is upcoming uncertainty.
With these turbulent times, the very survival of each company will depend on the leadership skills of the CEO, senior executives, and operational managers at each venture. The comfortable business as usual model that prevailed over prior decades will not withstand the difficult road ahead. Each executive and manager need to carefully evaluate their existing expertise and learn new skills that they can use to successfully lead their company through the challenges to come.
Instant Adaptability
One of the often-used business phrases of recent years is to lean in. Perhaps the new watchword should be to pivot in an instant. The last several years have seen businesses rocked by a pandemic, a near global shutdown, required working from home and the loss of freedom to travel. Severe raw material shortages, supply chain issues and soaring inflation were later added to the mix. Companies will only be able to survive and prosper if their management is skilled enough to instantly adapt to changing circumstances. Freight dispatchers who are responsible for getting deliveries out on time have had to react quickly to handle unexpected disruptions. The fleet dispatcher has to rely on telematics tools to skillfully manage the fleet and overcome the shortage of available trucking and logistics personnel.
Care About Your Employees
For far too long, most companies have taken their employees for granted. Workers were treated as replaceable cogs in a machine, and were not valued or respected for the contribution they were making. Instead of valuing the very people who were bringing their organization to life, most executives and bosses showed time and time again they just didn't care. Then the pandemic came. This break from the everyday slog gave workers time to think about what really mattered in life. When the restrictions lifted, and companies called employees back to the office a new trend emerged. The Great Resignation arose, as once loyal workers left in droves for new jobs where they felt cared for and respected. Tomorrow's leaders know that the very survival and success of their firms rests on keeping employees happy and how they themselves honor, care about, and treat their workers.
Be Open to New Ideas
All too often, senior executives and top managers viewed themselves as the idea people in the organization. They would decide on new plans and the forthcoming direction of the company and all the workers were supposed to simply line up and follow. By doing this, they were ignoring the potential brilliance and knowledge of their workforce. Smart leaders know that some of the best ideas can come from the workers in the trenches. By creating an environment that fosters innovation and rewards employee ideas and contributions, senior leadership and managers can increase worker satisfaction and help their companies thrive and grow.
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