Why leaders need courage

Leaders are being caught in the eye of the storm. Quiet quitters are forcing them to reset their belief systems and reconsider their strategies in order to retain and motivate talent. On top of that, studies confirm that 70% of talent engagement and performance is determined by managers, making their role more important than ever. 

The most prevalent pre-pandemic assumptions included the belief that working from home decreases productivity, that people should be closely monitored, and that one’s professional and personal life should be kept separate. Today, managers are tasked with adapting to a post-pandemic world of work, and it is now clear that previous assumptions about the correct way of working not only heighten disengagement but they can also increase cases of Burnout and Quiet Quitting. Progressive leaders will be the ones who listen to their teams, strive to meet their expectations, and regularly put time aside to learn new practices. 

Andrés Hatum, an expert in organizational culture, and Guibert Englebienne, co-founder of Globant and president of Globant X, partook in a StarMeUp webinar to discuss the importance of good leadership in times of change. Proactively understanding and meeting the new demands of talent, they said–whether it is flexibility, active listening, or recognition–is fundamental for the growth of a company, and in the new World of Work, previous go-to strategies have come up short. It is interesting to note that both Hatum and Englebienne stated that leaders would benefit from daring to let go, from trusting their talent, and from focusing on creating an organizational culture that recognizes people and values collaboration. 

A good leader, according to American professor and researcher Brené Brown, has courage, vulnerability, and does not hesitate to have difficult conversations in an honest and empathetic way. On top of that, they are thoughtful and decisive (source). Simon Sinek, American author and key opinion leader on the World of Work, talks about the ways we have failed to teach our leaders how to have difficult conversations. Sinek poses the following question: What’s more valuable, learning trigonometry or learning how to have difficult conversations?

The most effective way of lightening the load placed on leaders is to give them the tools to create an organizational culture that encourages active listening, facilitates feedback, and fosters a sense of belonging at work. Using technology to turn values into habits, and habits into the behaviors that inform organizational culture can not only help leaders engage their talent, but it can provide a collaboration framework for promoting productivity and business growth. Keeping in mind that people leave managers, not their jobs may give companies the courage they need to create a culture that prioritizes their most important asset: their people. 

At StarMeUp we want to help organizations like yours to build and manage a culture that truly makes a difference in people’s lives. We do it the way the world’s largest platforms build community: via human nature and technology; through sincere recognition, and authentic human relationships.

Learn more about harnessing the power of culture and technology in your company by heading to our website and following us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.