COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of Leadership Development

Workplace environments have changed dramatically over the past few months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many still working remotely, Coronavirus has highlighted the importance of leadership within businesses to manage employees successfully during these challenging times. Maintaining employee motivation to help them remain goal focused, whilst also providing support and guidance to ensure emotional wellbeing, has become vital to overpass the geographical challenges faced by working from home. With remote managers reportedly finding it almost twice as hard to hit team goals when compared to onsite managers (22% vs. 14%) (Source: SoapBox State of One-on-ones), poor leadership skills can make an already challenging situation even worse.

There are many traits common amongst great leaders, with one of the most important skills being Emotional Intelligence (EQ). A recent study found that employees whose managers had high EQ were four times less likely to leave their company (Source: https://gethppy.com/). Highlighting the importance of EQ, this also shows the vital role leadership skills play in employee experience which ultimately affects overall company success. It costs a company a significant amount to hire new employees, making employee turnover a financial burden on a business. Managers with higher EQ are more likely to retain talented employees for long periods, decreasing employee turnover and saving the business money.

To find out what other qualities make a successful leader, I asked former Creative Director of Apple, Ken Segall, his thoughts. Working for multiple industry-leading companies such as NeXT, Apple, Dell, Intel and IBM, Ken has experienced high levels of leadership and a multitude of managerial approaches. I asked Ken:

What qualities do you think constitutes a good leader?

“This is a very interesting question. I use my own experience, just as a guy who used to work in ad agencies. I had some leaders who were kind, understanding, supportive, they would show up at our parties and we were sort of a big family. I’ve also worked with leaders who were aloof and demanding and not interested in that kind of relationship, and there’s a certain intimidation that comes along with that.

“I see the value in both approaches to be honest. I’ve always thought when people, especially creative people, are given too much leeway, it doesn’t light that fire under you like when you work for a leader who is demanding. You need a little bit of a threat hanging over your head and the degree to which that is a good thing is debatable. I look back at Steve jobs, he was very demanding, and made you feel that if you didn’t do something good your job could be in jeopardy. But it was also thrilling because he had such high standards and when you were able to please him with your work, it felt like a real accomplishment.

“So, I do think it is important for a leader to be inspirational, charismatic always helps and I think demanding is a very good thing. But able to communicate, total honesty, tell you what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. You’re on the same team, you both want each other to succeed and I think some leaders are too cruel, so you begin to resent them. As demanding as Steve jobs could have been, I never resented him being the boss because he was inspiring in many ways, you wanted to succeed on that level. I think a great leader embodies those characteristics without being oppressive.”

Why is it important to improve leadership in my workplace?

COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of leadership development within the workplace. With many employees working remotely and business leaders having to quickly adapt to a new normal, the pandemic has demonstrated the importance of leadership development within the workplace to ensure every employee possesses the leadership skills necessary for independent success. Giving your employees the skills to manage their own workload, successfully adapt to a changed working environment and continue to hit company targets independently has proved invaluable in the face of adversity.

Poor leadership skills equal high employee turnover, low productivity, and unsatisfied customers. Building leaders within your company is hugely beneficial and cost-effective. Enhancing the skills of your existing employees not only aids their personal development but also saves you time, stress and money, improving the overall performance of the business at every stage.

What can I do to improve leadership in my workplace?

Leadership development programs help build and refine personal leadership skills through classroom-style teaching. Using proven techniques and actionable strategies, leadership programs improve the practical, emotional, and theoretical aspects required to be a great leader.

What are the benefits of leadership development programs?

Improve workplace culture — These programs improve motivation and establish a can-do attitude, allowing teams to overcome hurdles with clear, focused leadership.

Increase Productivity — Every employee has the skills to lead their own work and section successfully, giving them the confidence to approach situations independently, ultimately increasing productivity.

Decrease Employee Turnover — You are improving your own managerial skills whilst also investing in your employee’s development. This strengthens your company’s foundations, creating a better working environment.

Improve Decision Making — The program provides actionable strategies to practically implement to aid decision making, allowing you to approach decisions with a critical eye to make more well-rounded, informed decisions overall.

Better Project Management — With a whole team of leadership experts there will be better project management overall, as well as an improved ability to manage individual projects.