Authentic and transparent leadership: communication through COVID and beyond

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Every leader is currently facing the ultimate test of resilience and adaptability, as COVID-19 continues to affect us in unforeseen ways. In times of uncertainty we look to those that inspire and lead us, and workforce leaders are under significant pressure to rise to the occasion.

The past few months have only been a catalyst to an overdue mass shift of leadership and workplace expectations; people no longer want to follow blindly (and that is true for workplace teams as well as consumers to brands) nor do they want an unhealthy work-life balance. We have been afforded the time to examine exactly how to improve work life and professional leadership – thanks to the worldwide health pandemic.

Leaders of any business or team have surely learnt the importance of being available, visible, and authentic. There has been a significant breakdown of the traditional walls of a workplace hierarchy, with CEOs having to digitally invite employees into their personal spaces. This raw authenticity has been the guiding beacon for leading teams through complex teams; the old adage of leading by example is true for the trade and workplace activities, but there can be no doubt of the positive effect of transparency and visibility on the mental health of employees in your company.

This situation has provided the perfect opportunity to audit work behaviors and systems. If effective communication has not been a priority before, now is truly the time to reflect on what your work systems look like post-COVID-19. Those commanding large and small teams have come to recognize the importance of structured communications systems, such as regular WIPs and digital task management services, as much of the workforce has transitioned to the home office.

Further to systemised communication, there has been a huge lens on how to maintain social connection in these times. Creating real, human connection has never before been such a purposeful action. Purposeful engagement with each other, checking in on health and productivity, and actually responding as an organization to employee needs – these deliberate efforts are something that must be preserved moving forward. This is the time to truly establish meaningful connections and nurture team development.

We no longer understand ‘work’ as the action of commuting and the physical structure of the office – it can no longer be just turning up. We are now able to introduce flexibility and autonomy to the work trait mix, and measure productivity with actual productivity. Businesses should rethink their ‘normal’ systems and gravitate towards this positive shift in the way we work and communicate for the future – what sustainable changes can we make as we move from response strategies to recovery.

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