Small talk is out, meaningful connection is in.
There are many lessons to take forward, from this new chapter and way of working, on the power of human connectivity and we needs leaders, to reach out and do that.
By Sharon Sands, Partner & Global Head of Leadership Assessment, Development & Coaching, Heidrick Consulting
I’m a week and a half into our work from home arrangement and I am humbled that I have work to do. I’ve never been more certain that the assistance we give to leaders is as important as it is right now. In the last week I have seen, through the lens of Zoom, extraordinary leadership from clients, colleagues and the leadership team of which I am a part of, as well as from ‘some’ leaders in the public eye. Particularly, I’m struck by the way that those leaders have been agile, decisive and inspiring, and it’s led me to reflect on how important “the power of human leadership” is during a time of crisis like this.
Leading with Humanity
This has been a much talked about trait in recent weeks. Never before though have I seen as many examples of the positive impact that those who ‘lead as humans first’ can have on their colleagues, their clients, suppliers and their own teams. Small talk is out, meaningful connection is in. We are checking in with each other – and I mean ‘really’ checking in. The glib ‘how’s things?’ has been replaced with ‘tell me how it is for you and your family right now?’ We are bringing each other into our lives through video chats. In the last week I’ve been in living rooms, studies, kitchens and sheds (I can confirm that one colleague was zooming in from his shed because it was the only place in a busy household where he could get some peace and quiet!). We’ve seen, sometimes for the first time, the person behind the job.