How Can Next-Gen Leaders Overcome Uncertainty?
The world witnessed a paradigm shift during the global pandemic of 2020, while businesses were at a halt and people were locked inside their homes. It was a challenging time for CEOs to take decisive action that could help streamline processes. However, some businesses jumped through these hoops by boldly facing unknown situations and leaning into digital solutions. Preparing for the worst and hoping for the best was the ultimate lesson we learned during these turbulent times. Next-gen CEOs should take this to heart for whenever they encounter uncertain times. Instead of waiting for digital transformation opportunities, they must create them.
Stepping Away From The Conventional
For a C-level executive, knowing when to leave their comfort zone is perhaps the most crucial skill if they want to reshape the fabric of their organization. During the initial phases of the 2020 lockdown, many of us quickly learned how to trust our newly remote workforce. In fact, some leaders felt this forced shift meant their organizations were on the path of innovation, even when things weren’t looking favorable. Since no organization is completely ready for an unprecedented risk, thinking creatively and taking meaningful risks is perhaps the key to sailing through the most disruptive times. A bold attitude to determine the consequences, as well as the confidence to change decisions at a moment’s notice, is undoubtedly the key to fostering growth.
Take, for example, the innovative solution that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk came up with during Ukraine’s internet and power supply disruptions in early 2022. The SpaceX CEO ensured that a car’s cigarette lighter could power the internet antenna for the company’s Starlink terminals. Moreover, the mobile roaming functionality allowed the phased array antenna to maintain a seamless connection, even in a moving vehicle. This solution used uncertainty to reinvent technology without hampering the end goal: to bring change and transform lives. In another instance, back in 2020, tech giants Google and Apple joined hands to launch a comprehensive solution for enabling Covid-19 contact tracing. This move inspired startups and business leaders to identify risks, analyze crises and make joint efforts to mitigate risks and contribute to society.
A Holistic View Of Organization For Flexibility
Looking toward the future, next-gen leaders must incorporate an even greater level of flexibility and cross-functional collaboration. They can accomplish this by incorporating a holistic approach to understanding the entire organization. Rather than breaking an organization and its processes into departments or parts and analyzing each separately, leaders need to emphasize how the business operates as a whole. This is what defines a holistic mindset. In uncertain times, a holistic approach ensures businesses focus on areas that matter most—determining what’s working fine and what requires alteration—rather than getting distracted by each department’s individual goals.
3 Ways Businesses Can Become More Holistically Minded
While many established C-level executives know the value of holistic mindsets, most upcoming leaders may wonder how they can implement such an approach. Here are three things they can do to get started:
- Conduct Research. Research is perhaps the most crucial aspect of implementing a holistic approach. It can help identify the number of resources you have, pinpoint problem areas, uncover new techniques for overcoming hurdles and provide structure for your action plans.
- Leverage Technology. Technology is always helpful for spreading administrative messages and strategic updates. Project management platforms and team communication apps, for example, could lend a hand in broadcasting organizational goals as times shift.
- Collaborate With Teams. Frequently meeting with teams could be the best way to ensure everyone is involved and stays connected with an organization’s transformation journey. Thinking cross-functionally offers endless opportunities for all areas of an organization, including marketing, sales, operations and information security. Teams can understand how individual efforts impact overall organizational growth and how working together fosters innovation and success. However, many might argue that their department operates smoothly on its own, and trying to view it through the lens of a holistic approach could interrupt its functionality. But if every department can work together in a seamless workflow, it enhances business efficiency.
The changing time and circumstances call for diverse skills from leadership. Businesses shouldn’t wait for things to get back on track. Instead, they should put in the effort to jump out of their comfort zones and make the most of available resources and technology. The next-gen leaders of today can set the benchmarks for the success of the future.
