The Future of C-suite Leadership
In the wake of the chaos, uncertainty and loss brought on by the past year, it’s now time for organizational leadership to navigate the future of work in a post-COVID world. Leadership can take this time to reassess organizational priorities to reflect the workforce better as more employees return to the office.
C-suite leadership can consider the following when prioritizing:
- Employee well-being – The pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of Canadians, with stress and anxiety being reported at an all-time high. With this in mind, organizational leaders have the opportunity to alleviate some stress by prioritizing the well-being of their employees. This can be done by offering a flexible schedule, encouraging employees to take more PTO or offering services to promote better mental and physical health.
- Diversity and inclusion – According to Gallagher’s State of the Sector report, 55 per cent of employers believe diversity and inclusion should be a top priority in 2021. Diversity in the workplace can lead to increased productivity, employee engagement and profits. Senior leadership and HR can consider reviewing processes such as hiring and training to ensure they align with goals to support a diverse and inclusive workforce.
- Cultural change – The pandemic changed what working will look like moving forward. With 40 per cent of employers wishing to implement a new way of working, organizational leaders can look at how their culture can support these changes. Fully remote and hybrid workforces are possible when cultural values are strong and reflect the wants and needs of the organization and its employees.
Moving forward, C-suite leadership should treat the creation and implementation of new processes as a permanent priority rather than a temporary measure in response to the pandemic.
For more information on the future of C-suite leadership, contact The Hull Group today.
How to Develop Leadership
Many professionals consider strong leadership the most important and pressing challenge currently facing their organization. According to Deloitte’s human capital trends survey of Canadian CEOs and senior HR professionals, only 1 in 5 believe their current leadership program is “excellent.” In fact, almost half rate their ability to develop leaders at all levels in their organization as “weak.”
Bersin by Deloitte research found the gap between the need for capable leaders and the ability to meet that need is due to four main deficiencies:
- The disconnect between HR programs and the skills needed to successfully implement organization goals and strategies
- The lack of data for identifying key leaders within an organization
- The inability to transfer skills developed in training to the workplace
- The inadequate link between leadership development programs and other key HR programs
Organizations can get back on track to developing leadership by:
- Aligning to real business needs – Developing a link between leadership and organizational initiatives and changes can lead to greater engagement, learning and leader capability development.
- Getting hard data – Compiling comprehensive data can help organizations make informed decisions about current leadership capability and future potential. Investing in the resources required to identify future leaders can help save time and money down the line.
- Focusing on inputs – Oftentimes, organizations focus on outputs, such as desired behaviours, but the focus should be on inputs. By focusing on the thinking that drives desired behaviours, organizations can significantly improve leadership skills.
At its core, leadership development is really just the development of skills. Organizations can execute programs that better develop skills to create stronger leadership. For more information, contact The Hull Group today.
