True leaders for turbulent times

In challenging times as currently, constant change results in rising stress levels. The consequences are less calmness and more conflicts. Crises show how people deal with challenging situations or uncontrollable events. This is where leaders are needed who can safely navigate organizations and teams through such times.

In business and politics, however, numerous leadership weaknesses come to light every day. Concerns, chaos, stagnation, escalation and the search for somebody to blame dominate events. Communication is brutalized, verbal aggression increases. On this basis, it becomes difficult to lead a company to sustainable success.

What can be done to turn the tide?

Suitable leaders find a way out of the dilemma. They manage to equip organizations for current challenges and set them up accordingly. They have functional and emotional skills and can steer companies purposefully even in uncertain times.

“You can never solve problems with the same mindset that created them.”

This statement by Albert Einstein gets to the heart of the matter: change is already necessary in the recruitment of people in charge for management. Today’s managers need a combination of explicitly female or caring and male or hard skills. Only those who can bridge these two worlds will transform organizations, lead them safely through crises and make them sustainably successful.

Tough on the issue, engaging in the tone

“Sustainable leadership” requires:

• A balanced mix of functional, strategic and personal, social skills. Self-reflection and empathy are indispensable for successful leaders. Those who act purely opportunistically will lose in the long run.

• A balance between personal interests and the common weal: selfish people and narcissists who pursue only their own interests will perhaps have power and success in the short term, but will lose the respect and motivation of their team.

• A balance between reflection and silence on the one hand and going out and interacting on the other.

• A balance between planning and ratio as well as flexibility and feelings. Because you need heart and mind to navigate purposefully.

• Congruence between what one says, believes and does. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing trust.

Just take a moment to think: who has been a role model for sustainable leadership for you in the past 20 months? What qualities have these people shown?

Change starts with you. Ready to take the first step?

It’s all about maintaining balance in stressful situations. As we have recognized in our years of working with different stress typologies, any extreme behavior leads to failure. Take the first step to better manage stress in the future: