The structural transformations affecting today's world of work call for new leadership. Remote jobs, flexibility and autonomy are all words now at the heart of corporate organization. They imply the emergence of new types of leaders who will inspire teams instead of supervising them, building on trust in a spirit of shared innovation. The old style manager, within a structure defined primarily by its pyramid structure, is clearly a species destined to disappear.
The evolution of leadership models
In the old model, the leader played primarily on fear. His employees' first task was to obey him. Today, the leader must first and foremost be a guide, and strive to stimulate his teams to reach their full potential. In all this, the commitment of companies and managers is crucial. It is the starting point that will enable the organization to reform itself. The aim: to give these new leaders the opportunity to reach their full potential.
This necessarily involves creating a corporate culture that will support the transition to this new world. They must encourage open dialogue between managers and their teams, and foster an environment where transparency, innovation and experimentation are encouraged. In short, it's all about laying the foundations for creative, problem-solving thinking in a constantly changing environment (internal and external).
Essential skills for new leaders
Obviously, these new leaders need to have a certain number of skills in their bag that will enable them to carry out their missions successfully. We have listed 7 that we feel are crucial.
- Emotional intelligence
To get the best out of their teams in this new work paradigm, leaders must demonstrate emotional intelligence. They need to understand and manage both their own emotions and those of their colleagues. This is the key to developing solid relationships, and creating a productive working environment characterized by empathy and understanding.
- Adaptability and flexibility
Today's leaders need to be agile. The ability to react and adapt to changing situations is now a prerequisite. Change is no longer an obstacle, but rather an opportunity to be seized. It's a message that transmits a culture of adaptability to the team.
- Transparent communication
To inspire, you need to know how to communicate. And not just in any old way. Modern leaders set clear objectives and encourage open communication. It's a great way to build trust and commitment.
- Inclusiveness
This is at the heart of modern leadership discourse. The notion of inclusiveness, and its corollary diversity, fosters an environment where every voice is heard and valued. The variety of profiles is no longer an obstacle. It's an asset for the company.
- Motivating leaders
Recognizing individual contributions isn't everything. But it is one of the vectors that give effective leaders the power to inspire and motivate their teams. Stimulating creativity, encouraging innovation and giving employees the right to make mistakes (and even fail) are also the hallmarks of inspiring leaders.
- Strategic thinking
Developing a long-term vision, anticipating future trends and challenges - in short, thinking strategically - must also be among the qualities that new leaders must demonstrate. It's a skill that can't be ignored.
- Dealing with failure
And when things don't work out? A leader needs to know how to deal with failure, and not dwell on it for too long. It's an opportunity to bounce back, and for the manager to demonstrate his or her problem-solving skills.
These skills are relevant to all companies, whatever their type. But they are particularly relevant to remote jobs. This new leadership model is the only one that can meet the challenge of managing scattered teams. It favors a sense of belonging and contributes to team cohesion despite physical distance.