
Leadership
5 Leadership Trends For 2021 Worth Noting
By TechDogs Editorial Team

Overview
The unprecedented global scenario in the year 2020 left little choice for business leaders across the globe. The options were either to succumb to the adversities of the pandemic or to rise to the occasion. While all of us were facing new challenges every day, leaders had more significant predicaments even before they had their morning cup of coffee. They had to think in the best interest of their team and workforce while making sure their ship stays afloat.
To be honest, even before COVID-19, the way we lead organizations and manage people was already changing. Disguised in this unforeseen disruption, the pandemic was an opportunity for leaders to transform and adapt to the changing times.
As leaders from around the world braved the storm in the own way, some common trends emerged that shaped the face of excellent Leadership for the times ahead. Here are 5 top Leadership trends for 2021 that great organizations need to watch out for to sail well and sail safely in the year ahead.
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It wouldn't be overdramatic to say that 2020 turned each of us into Thomas Kirkman of our own, more so for those in Leadership positions. If the name doesn't ring a bell, here's a hint for you- Designated Survivor.
Before you bounce off to get a whiff of what we're talking about, let us help you out. Designated Survivor is a Netflix show with Thomas Kirkman as its protagonist (Totally worthy of a weekend binge fest). He's the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of the United States who's thrown into power when all the others in the line of succession are killed in an explosion. Being named as the Designated Survivor, he becomes the next President of the United States by default. Kind of a steep jump, don't you think? As the story progresses, Kirkman faces unprecedented challenges but ultimately rises to the occasion and proves himself worthy of the position of the POTUS (President Of The United States). Don't you think most business leaders do that, though? Face adversities, find solutions, keep their teams motivated, inspired and driving them towards a vision - the literal job of a leader!
Today's leaders are not only leading and supporting their team through the trying times but also making sure that they get to the other side of the tunnel with their team and business stronger than ever. To do this, leaders must often rethink their strategies and adjust to dynamic situations. That's the hallmark of a great leader - accepting that changing circumstances need a change in thinking and planning.
So, if you are a good leader but wish to be a great one, these 5 Leadership trends for 2021 are what you need. Get reading!
Trend 1: Remote Teams Are Set, Now Is The Time To Build A Remote Culture

2020 had kept most leaders busy in the transformation from in-office spaces to a remote setup. Now that they've taken care of that herculean task, leaders will have to focus on going beyond just remote infrastructure and devote time, effort and money towards cultivating a remote culture.
Since a good chunk of companies (57% in this Intermedia survey) plan to keep "remote work" in their business model, working remotely is no longer a stop-gap arrangement for them till things get normal. So, now businesses are making sure that remote work is beyond getting tasks done and fostering a healthy work environment.
Emphasizing the need for the right remote culture, Dr. Miriam Moeller explained, "For many leaders, this is a new environment but a lot of it actually comes back to the idea of setting team expectations. Managers will need to be more armed with compassion and empathy to manage employees who are working from home effectively."
TechDogs' Opinion: While it is easier to create and maintain office culture when you are present there, however, things can be a little sticky when working remotely, especially with new hires. That is when they must rebuild your culture. Leaders will have to use every tool at their disposal to recreate a vibrant and inclusive work culture remotely- ranging from shifting performance goal-setting and employee evaluations and establish clear business objectives to run great virtual meetings, communicate clearly and Friday evening no-business group calls and group streaming the next big hit on Netflix. FYI, TechDogs team streamed Disney’s Cruella last Friday. #FunTimes
Trend 2: Physical And Mental Well-being Over Everything Else

One lesson that the pandemic has taught us all is that we can no longer take our health for granted. This translates to businesses being mindful of the employees' health and well-being, ensuring that they don't reach the stage of mental burnout or physical exhaustion.
Highlighting the same, Dr. Lance Newey says, "COVID-19 taught us that we can't take well-being or business-as-usual for granted. We've seen that the forces of nature, whether it be viruses or bushfires, can shut down whole economies. Economies must act in concert with the well-being of people, environments and communities."
TechDogs' Opinion: Gone are the days where a person's well-being was just about physical health. Today, well-being comprises a balance of a person's economic, material, physical, psychological, social, cultural, environmental and spiritual well-being. In 2021, leaders will shift their focus from an employee's productivity to their workplace's well-being and providing them with the necessities and support for their wellness, including a balance of the eight components of a person's well-being.
Trend 3: If You're Not Agile, You'd Be Fragile

In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Out of adversity comes opportunity." While we in no way are advocating for the crisis, we do believe that it takes a furnace to shape glass into the form it's meant to take. There's no denying that the pandemic has adversely affected many businesses, several of them, unfortunately, have already gone under. At the same time, many companies are also likely to reach unimaginable heights as an outcome.
We're not asking you to take our word for it; however, here's an observation for you. Half of the companies in the 2019 Fortune 500 List started their business during an economic downturn. Many unicorns that are the talk of the town today, like Slack and Uber, were born during the 2008 Global Financial crisis. Throwing light on this phenomenon, Dr. Frederik von Briel explained that the secret lies in "adopting an entrepreneurial mindset to leverage environmental change and disruption rather than being overrun by it." What do they say? Silver lining and all?
TechDogs' Opinion: Agile Leadership will be the new buzzword to take over the business world in 2021. It refers to a flexible Leadership– one with the ability to pivot and change as many times as the situation demands. Leaders will not only learn to take as many twists and turns to keep moving forward but also learn to take those leaps rapidly.
Trend 4: Leading With Empathy And Compassion Will Be The New Cool
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Another lesson that 2020 brought with itself is to be empathetic towards everyone's situation and circumstances. Even with distributed teams, the pandemic brought leaders closer to the employees and urged them to know a more humane side of their teammates and not just by their designation. Only then the leaders understood perspective of their employee's side of the story who were dealing with a lot along with household chores, chaos, and battling a pandemic.
Being an empathetic and benevolent leader has its perks too. According to a study by Businesssolver, 77% of employees said they would work extra hours for a kind boss. 60% of respondents said they would accept a lesser wage from a caring employer. Compared to 66% of Baby Boomers, 80 percent of millennials said they would change employment if their present leader were less sympathetic.
TechDogs' Opinion: As organizations adjust to the significant and unprecedented change, their leaders face increased scrutiny for their answers to the human and financial consequences of the pandemic. Leaders must grasp the value of empathy in the workplace and how it contributes to developing a healthy culture. From now on, these leaders will be in a unique position, beginning at the top, where Chief Executive Officers must also serve as Chief Empathy Officers. We hope that this trend continues until 2021.
Trend 5: Soft Skills Will No Longer Be Given The Backseat

With some time on hand, last year, many companies took to training and upskilling their teams to be better prepared for the changing work environment. Training employees to handle remote infrastructure and guiding them to use new tools is a significant part.
While most organizations were quite prompt in arranging for this tutelage, it was only later that some of them realized that their employees needed another set of training too. As teams worked remotely, communication, interpersonal relations and employee engagement took a hit. One of the key reasons for this was the lack of soft skills. This year, leaders would work towards changing that. Mindful of the gap in soft skills, as revealed by the Training Industry report released in 2020, CEOs and HR would shift focus towards professional development.
TechDogs' Opinion: Rapid action towards bridging the soft skills gap can be expected in 2021, especially in Leadership roles. Managerial training would now include communication with empathy and improving the emotional intelligence of leaders. Simultaneously, support and assistance to enhance effective communication among all employees would be a top priority.
To Sum It Up
Stealing the words of the Tennis champion, Billie Jean King, "Champions keep playing until they get it right," leaders today will continuously evolve and grow to cope with the changing times. While the process is never-ending, the above trends are what will drive this evolution in 2021.
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