An Introduction to Responsive Leadership
One thing that a global pandemic taught us is to stay flexible. This might’ve been a rough but immediate introduction to responsive leadership for some. And in some cases, it’s probably been more effective than others. Now’s your chance to revisit, revise, and reapply these practices that will not only make you a better leader, but will help you attract and retain a team of qualified talent that reminds you why you started this practice in the first place. Below is how you keep up all the good habits or start better ones.
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Start by infusing curiosity.
For your teams, this can be as easy as asking new people to speak up. If marketing is always coming up with ideas, let’s open it up to the whole team. Having to work on something new will infuse new ideas from other departments.
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Maintain humility.
This may be a shocker, but no one likes a proud leader. Instead, give credit to everyone that made it possible. Did you score a new account? Great! If the graphic designer on the team gave you amazing art for your presentation and the social media team gave you outstanding testimonials – tell them!
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Show empathy.
Whether it is someone dealing with a breakup or a new parent coming back from family leave – sometimes we are struggling and want to act like we are alright. The best way to lead is to be supportive. Simply ask, “How can I support you?” This empathetic response will create rapport and show your team that you care.
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Stay resilient.
You want to remember that being a responsive leader does not mean you will always get it right. Keep going! Your team may not respond positively at first, but staying true to creating a better company culture will pay off in the end.
As we move forward from everything that has happened during this pandemic, we have to remember that our teams have also changed. People are feeling more burnt out than ever. They are leaving high-paying jobs and pursuing other ways of making money to be happy! This is the best time to practice your adaptive leadership style and create the right company culture.
Comment below on what types of adaptive leadership styles you have used and how they turned out! I want to hear all about it.
Need more information? Download my Navigating Change Roadmap to help create more definitive strategies for you to use. You can also check out some advice from myself and other Forbes coaches here.
