THE LEADERSHIP LOOKBACK: THE 2022 EDITION

With the roar of the crowd and the sound of fans screaming still ringing in my ears, I turned the TV off. Whew! What an epic face-off between two exceptional country teams to mark the closing of the Qatar world cup finals, and the year too! And what a rollercoaster of a year it has been. So much has happened, much of which we will continue to experience into the new year.

War, famine and breakthroughs in artificial intelligence; this year has kept us wondering, what’s next around the corner? That’s when I thought we could all use a quick wrap-up of all the leadership lessons we can learn from some of the defining events of this year.

This also makes for a good time for leaders to reflect on the skills and strategies that have helped them navigate the challenges of the past year and to think about what they can do to improve their leadership in the new year. Here are some leadership lessons that are particularly crucial for leaders to keep in mind.

Communication is the Key to Most Locked Doors

As Ukraine defies all expectations and continues to hold off a larger invading force, President Volodymyr Zelensky makes for a living embodiment of how effective communication can save lives and be a critical part of great leadership. Effective communication is essential for successful leadership. It helps to ensure that your team members are on the same page, working towards a common goal, and understand what is expected of them. President Zelensky’s passionate appeals to the global community, filled with local nuances and personalized messages to individual leaders from each global superpower, proved that effective communication is about getting the message across in a way that the recipient can empathise and engage. Good communication involves regularly checking in with your team, providing clear and concise direction and feedback, and setting clear expectations.

Empathy and Camaraderie Makes all the Difference

This year, as communities found new ways to divide mankind across community lines, empathy has never been more in the forefront. It is this very quality that President Volodymyr Zelensky leveraged effectively and rallied the support of EU and NATO in the face of adversity. It is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others; stepping into their shoes to understand what the situation, event or day-to-day life can be like for them. The path of resilience and support that everyday Ukrainians carved for themselves is a mark of this. President Zelensky made passionate appeals and daring gambles with his western counterparts who empathised and partnered with the Ukrainians to push back the invading forces. Leading with empathy and emotional intelligence allows you to better understand and relate to your team members, which can lead to stronger relationships and more cohesive teams, and Time Person Of the Year, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been a rallying point for empathetic governments and leaders worldwide.

Accelerating Adaptability and Agility

In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to adapt to change is more important than ever. As narrow AI technologies such as DALL.E and ChatGPT continue to evolve, the way we visualize work and our foundational understanding of productivity is changing. Artificial intelligence, blockchain and new technical innovations are occurring at such a fundamental level today that leaders are backed into a corner where they must rethink innovation as they know it. Content writers and designers are evolving into prompt engineers, to direct AI towards constructive applications. Leaders who are able to pivot and adapt to new challenges are better equipped to lead their teams through difficult situations. This might involve being open to new ideas, being flexible in your approach, and being willing to try new things.

Success Hinges on Collaboration and Teamwork

No matter what the media and pop-culture may boldly claim, it wasn’t Messi who single-handedly won Argentina the world cup. Successful leaders understand the importance of working collaboratively with others and building strong teams. By fostering an environment of teamwork and collaboration, you can achieve more together than you could individually. This involves creating a culture of trust and respect, encouraging open communication and collaboration, and recognizing the strengths and contributions of each team member.

Leadership is learned and earned

As a leader, your actions speak louder than your words. Leading by example and setting a positive example for others to follow is crucial in building trust and respect within your team. This involves modelling the behaviour you expect from your team, being consistent in your actions and words, and being transparent and accountable for your decisions.

This has been a harsh (and expensive) lesson for Elon Musk as his rocky acquisition of Twitter went through, ushering in a new (and somewhat strange) era for the social media platform.

Rapid changes, layoffs, backtracking and several iterations have paved the way for Elon Musk to learn what it entails to be the flag-bearer for free speech in the digital age.

Leaders carry the burden of the outcomes of their decisions. They must tread with caution, and not let speed and agility be the only cornerstones to driving innovation. Fail first and fail fast is not always the right answer, especially if it involves a larger machinery or ecosystem.

Yes, individuals, leaders and organizations alike learn from mistakes. But it helps if the mistakes are small, even if change is gradual. In the era of flashy news headlines, sometimes incremental innovation takes a back seat. But the timeless adage of the tortoise racing the hare holds some truth even in this age of accelerating development. This also means even the savviest of leaders must seek the counsel of those with expertise and experience. A leader never stops learning. In the meantime, leadership continues to evolve as times change. As the global outlook enters a new era and new threats emerge, the world continues to adapt to the evolving culture of teamwork and productivity. Leaders must continue to evolve with the times, learning the harshest lessons while nurturing talent, and implementing growth and progress the right way.

If you’re looking to refresh your leadership approach for the new year and all that it holds, then you’re definitely in the right place. Drop us a line at information@mentoring-matters.com to get started on your path towards better leadership.

If you made it this far, why not drop us a follow? We regularly cull out insightful leadership lessons and offer an in-depth, actionable perspective on how leadership coaching can benefit you (along with some easy tips to get started). So stay in touch, and lead better each day with us.

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PREETI PRAYAG

Preeti Prayag is the co-founder of Mentoring Matters, a platform for businesses and individuals across industries to drive holistic professional growth across mid and senior-level positions through dedicated coaching by certified professionals.