IMI: Nurture your skills and mindsets for effective leadership

It's a testing time for those at the top table but being a leader means stepping out of your comfort zone

How do you define being a leader and leadership? During research for my book The Future Leader, I posed this question to over 140 CEOs of the world’s most powerful companies and it struck me how difficult it proved for them to answer. 

Throughout the pandemic, leaders have been tested in ways they never could have imagined. Growing as a leader is a process that requires constant nurturing of your mindsets and your skills. 

I have identified four mindsets and five skills that will prepare leaders not just for today’s challenges, but for those in the future as well.

Mindsets 

The global citizen 

Leaders need to step outside of their comfort zone. It sounds straightforward, but it can be transformative. 

Maintaining the mindset of the global citizen means being comfortable associating and learning from people who are not like you. 

We live and work in a globally distributed world, where building relationships is the bedrock for productive business links. 

By being open to other viewpoints and embracing different cultures and values, you can open your mind to new possibilities for your business to thrive.

The chef 

For a chef to make a dish that hits the spot, they first need to get the balance right with the ingredients.

The same goes for business leaders, who must find that perfect mix between humanity and technology, for example.

An over-reliance on one or the other can be detrimental to a leader’s approach, but empowering your people while maintaining a broad understanding of technology and its implications for the future is the secret sauce your business craves.

The explorer 

Ernest Shackleton, born in Kildare, was a famous Antarctic explorer whose personality as a leader was based on a growth mindset. 

When confronted with perilous expeditions with his crew, he used adversity as opportunity; even when his ship was entombed in ice, he remained optimistic and drew inspiration from uncertainty. 

Having the mindset of an explorer is crucial in today’s landscape, where ingenuity and problem-solving are rewarded.

The servant 

There is a common misconception among leaders that self-care is selfish care, but that could not be further from the truth. 

Under-pressure leaders must remember that to be able to serve, they need first to take care of themselves so that they can be at their best for others. 

By serving your team in this way and creating a culture that rewards loyalty and good work, leaders can dramatically shift an organisation’s direction.

Skills

The coach 

Great leaders find ways to bring out the best in their people, just like great coaches in sports can coax that special performance out of their players. 

Central to this skill is remembering that your goal every day is to help make somebody else more successful than you. This human approach for leadership can create positive feedback loops within an organisation that can have lasting impacts.

The futurist

When confronted with any decision, leaders often take things at face value. 

What the skill of the futurist demands, however, is a deeper look. 

By asking questions such as why something might happen and what the implications might be, leaders can focus more on not just the now, but the many variables and changing situations that could affect the business into the future.

The tech teenager

The reality is that every company these days is, in some form, a technology company. 

Keeping up with the latest trends in technology across your business is pivotal. 

Remaining curious, learning from colleagues and seizing on any opportunity to become more informed should be priorities for our leaders.

The translator 

Communication has changed more than ever over the past year. The realities of working from home have shone a brighter spotlight on how we communicate as leaders. 

Above all else, however, it is about not just selecting the correct channel of communication but ensuring that your message gets across. 

The challenges in these times are many, but communication remains a central pillar for leaders.

The skill of Yoda

If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll know that beyond Yoda’s wisdom he has a great emotional intelligence. 

Essentially, he has two critical characteristics that every leader should strive for: empathy and self-awareness. Being there for people, understanding their circumstances and saying ‘I know how you feel’ have been key for leaders throughout the pandemic. 

Building on this skill will serve future leaders well.

Jacob Morgan is a four-time bestselling author, speaker and futurist. He recently shared his insights at an IMI Masterclass session. Learn about the benefits of membership at IMI