It’s well known that ‘leadership’ and ‘management’ are two opposing styles to oversee a team or company.
While management tends to focus more on the control of situations and people, leadership is considered a more effective method that focusses on tasks and the needs of the staff to help motivate and achieve goals.
Despite the differences in methodology, leaders have had to respond to cultural, social and technological advances that impact how they lead a team.
Let’s take a look at the evolution of leadership. Here are nine ways leadership has evolved in the past 20-30 years and the impact on the workplace.
A GREATER SHIFT TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY
Artificial intelligence, mobile app development and a greater reliance on technology have enhanced workplace practices leading to increased efficiencies within a team.
Utilising developments in technology has helped leaders develop and streamline systems that have revolutionised products and services within a relatively short window of time.
While greater reliance on technology can help businesses grow, today, computer literacy is a must in most roles. Leaders must today show a commitment to developing the skills of those who are not so computer savvy.
Reliance on technology is a positive for product development and increasing efficiencies, but it’s important to remember that staff aren’t disposable. Yes, technology can substitute many practices, but it’s important to remember that all businesses still need a human element that machines can’t replace.
GREATER COLLABORATION IN THE WORKPLACE
While effective leaders have always valued and utilised the skills of their team, today we’re seeing more leaders prepared to harness skills and collaborate with staff to build better products and services. Team leaders and supervisors now act at a mid-tier management level to bridge the gap between entry-level staff and company leaders so that everyone company-wide is seen and heard.
SHIFT TOWARDS REMOTE WORKING
Perhaps even more recently than 20 years and certainly since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, many leaders now find themselves overseeing results through a variety of remote working scenarios. Remote working has undoubtedly given the workforce more flexibility, but a greater reliance and trust in staff to get the job done out of sight is required from leaders across all departments.
A MOVE FROM DIMINISHER TO MULTIPLIER LEADERS
Diminisher leaders believe they’re the only ones capable of getting the job done. By contrast, the multiplier places greater importance on teamwork and knows that every team member has the skills and intelligence required to play their part in reaching company goals. The shift towards multiplier leaders has led to a greater level of achievement and the development of more effective working practices within the workforce.
FOCUS ON EQUALITY
There’s no question that discrimination due to gender, race and disability has been prevalent in workplaces in the past. As society has evolved, however, so have the legal and ethical implications of employing or promoting based on anything other than skills and qualifications.
Leaders must now award roles based on the merits of the candidate leading to a more diverse workplace and much greater scope for developments within the business.
FOCUS ON INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
Regardless of product or service, better access to technology now means that every leader must continue to focus on innovation so they can maintain a company’s position within the market.
With thanks to the internet, access to the rest of the world is at our fingertips and change is frequent and fast-paced. A leader who thinks on the front foot is essential to the success of any business, much more so than in previous years.
GREATER FIGHT TO KEEP STAFF
At one point, once a staff member had achieved a stable, well-paid career, they were generally content to stay with the company. By contrast, leaders today oversee team members with no glass ceiling and less loyalty. Employees have the skills and tools at their disposal to follow dreams and connect with leaders in their chosen field making them less committed to a company and more transient in their career.
A MORE HUMAN APPROACH
The ‘them and us’ of days gone by is no longer appropriate for the modern-day leader. Personality testing is used often to ensure a good cultural fit within existing teams. Greater care and compassion are given to staff with maternity, paternity and carers leave available. Employees offer more flexibility to provide a more personal touch in the workplace rather than simply hiring someone to do their job.
CHANGES IN COMMUNICATION STYLES
The days of face-to-face meeting or picking up the phone every time you wanted to talk to someone are a thing of the past. Today’s leaders are privy to short, sharp emails, text messages, instant messages and even ‘likes’ and reactions on social media. While these interactions save time, they’re no replacement for regular contact and leaders undoubtedly have to work harder to create the connections necessary for long-term trust, loyalty and respect within a team.
HOW ARE TODAY’S LEADERS IMPACTED?
While current shifts in leadership have led to greater efficiencies and more sophisticated product development to meet the market, it’s a conscious effort to raise today’s workforce into leaders of our future. There needs to be a much stronger focus on effective communication and training leadership skills as less loyalty to companies means positions are now often being created for the person rather than arguably the other way round.
It’s clear to see that throughout time, regardless of culture and technology developments, good leaders have and will continue to lead with respect, courage, honesty, transparency and integrity. While those qualities are still prevalent in effective leaders today, the tools at their disposal continually evolve and good leaders must now have the capacity to adapt and to recognise those changes and instil them in the workforce.
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