October 16 marks the celebration of Boss’s Day, a holiday recognized in the USA as “Boss Day” for the past 62 years. This is a great opportunity to discuss the issue of leaders in organizations. What should a good modern manager be like? What does the team expect from him? And what should be remembered when being a leader?
The role of a leader requires many skills, as this is the person who is responsible for the actions of the organization but also for the cooperation and results of their team. A boss should not only take care of the team’s integration, employee development, and proper communication. The modern leader’s role goes beyond traditional team management.
“In the face of dynamic changes and new challenges, leaders have to make many decisions very quickly, and their role requires a completely different approach than even some time ago. Transparent communication and active listening skills are key. Clear communication builds trust, minimises conflicts, and indicates the direction of professional development”, says Marta Szymańska, a labour market expert and leader of specialization at Manpower. “In the era of increasing popularity of remote work, rapid technological progress, the leader’s flexibility is indispensable because they have to respond to current challenges, but also anticipate the future needs of the company and employees. Innovation is another feature required from leaders. Companies need to think creatively, and leaders have to support their employees in searching for new solutions. Also, crucial is managing diversity. Teams are increasingly diversified in terms of age, culture, or experience, which requires integration skills to improve the efficiency and innovation of the organization”, adds the expert.
Challenges of the Modern Leader Different from Before
Leaders’ challenges are numerous and complex, team management can be really challenging. Adjusting the communication style to each employee and different models of cooperation are just some of them.
“Remote work, although beneficial, challenges leaders to maintain team engagement and motivation. Regular meetings and open communication are crucial for maintaining morale, and leaders must particularly engage in developing talents, creating conditions for employee professional development. Crisis management is also part of a manager’s job today, requiring quick and accurate decisions that have far-reaching consequences for the company”, emphasizes the Manpower leader.
Employee Expectations Regarding the Boss
Employee expectations towards leaders are evolving. Particularly for those making their first steps in the labour market, it is very important to maintain work-life balance. Much is also said about employees expecting their bosses to be flexible in terms of time and place of work. But that’s not all.
“Leaders are increasingly perceived not only as people who set goals but also as mentors who support the development of employees, giving them more autonomy. Transparency and open communication are now the standard, without which it is difficult to build trust in the team. Leaders also need to take care of the balance between their employees’ work and private lives, which translates into their loyalty and commitment”, adds Marta Szymańska.
The Leader Creates a Team
The role of a boss is constantly taking new forms, but one thing remains unchanged – it is extremely important that the leader works together with the team and does not just delegate tasks. Why is this so important?
“Manager’s involvement in daily activities and the team’s feeling that he is a part of them builds trust and a sense of unity in the organization. A leader who is involved in daily work strengthens relationships with employees and creates a culture of teamwork. Employees, seeing their manager in action, are more motivated and more willingly engage in project implementation, even the most demanding ones. This works both ways, as leaders can then better understand the team’s challenges, but also each employee’s challenges, leading to more accurate decisions. Contemporary leadership is above all the ability to create strong, supportive teams in which everyone feels appreciated”, sums up the Manpower expert.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/16-pazdziernika-dzien-szefa-30737
