by Gitte Gronning
As a leader in today’s world, it’s not enough to have a long resume, with a long title such as Cand. Mag., longer university education or having been a leader for many years. The world is changing and A.I. is in many areas catching up with us. Many traditional jobs are reinvented and modified to the changes we all are facing. The internet offers us opportunities that we did not have just 20 years ago. We can, like never before, get more education, attend various online courses/classes, attend webinars or follow the people who inspire us.
We, as humans, are able to grow, change our mental state and transform ourselves into a better version of ourselves. We search for knowhow, ask the medical world critical questions and we can become experts in a specific area if it captures our interest. We can keep up with the lives of other people, the SoMe-Culture. We do not want a job from 9-5, with a fixed (Low) income.
As an employee, you invest almost half of your valuable time in another man’s business (and dream). The workplace would often like to decide when to work, be hungry, go to the doctor and take a vacation. We would like to have an exciting job with prospects for the future.
As a leader, you need to think in new ways, for example, working a 4-day week, 6 hours daily – with full pay. Work less for a period of time when there are small children in the family or work from home. Companies need to create an attractive environment otherwise the employees will seek jobs elsewhere. The competitors offering the things the employees are looking for besides the pay.
It calls for a modern job, which ensures a safe transition into the future. As a leader, we are forced into finding the right management methods or else the employees will look for other opportunities.
An employee wants to have an influence on the workday, flexible hours, it has to be creative. There must be good health insurance, good colleagues, a healthy work environment and a salary/pay that makes the employee want to be there. They want to be heard and seen, asked for advice and be part of the workspace and not just go to work and have a fixed salary. We live in a high-tech society where things sometimes change faster than we can grasp and understand.
A new concept as an influencer, Youtuber, SoMe-experts and so on. rolls forward and helps create new jobs, set new standards of what can and cannot be done by technology. Whether we want it or not, we need to be ready to change and learning new ways to attract and retain employees.
How come it can be so difficult to embrace change as a leader?
In many small/middle sized businesses and large organizations, there has been a generational change from father to son. Often the work continues how “father” did it because you follow in your father’s footsteps.
As a master painter once said to me; we may have forgotten to keep up with time while we fought to survive the financial crisis.
Many leaders stick to past earnings with an hourly rate and fixed working hours/schedules. Wake up and smell the coffee – we are way past the 30ies and 40ies. We live in a High Tech – High Touch World.
What if you could turn it all upside down and start by asking the employee; “What do you need from me, for us to make sure you want to Invest your time in our company?” As Steven Jobs Said: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs
We need to rethink the entire normal corporate structure with the CEO at the top, then the leaders Middle Management, etc.
Take the network marketing industry for instance, where I in 1999 for the first time heard of the ambassador’s program. In the big network marketing companies, they are experts in getting the distributor to become an ambassador for the product and for the company.
The distributor sticks up for the product and the company 100%. They bring the brand to family and friends. Network marketing companies like Herbalife int. have contracts with Ronaldo and Messi. The distributor feels proud and tells the “world” about these amazing products. Imagine, that your employees were so excited about your company and your management style that they were transformed into ambassadors for the company instead of employees. Your services and products recommended even when they are of “duty”. They are your ambassadors 24/7, not because they have to but because they want to, as a result of your leadership style, having transformed them from employees to ambassadors.
Whaauuuu What a thought!
But is it possible to do so?
Yes!!!
However, it requires one to be willing to spend time, money, getting expert help and lots of patience. Cultivating a culture in the company starting with the leaders, middle management then grooming a culture throughout the company. It requires small adjustments, small steps, and a strategy.
In my own businesses, the cleaning industry, I experienced an absurd and mind-blowing episode. We were hired to clean some walls, so the mason and the carpenters could do their work. In the middle of the task, we were told to leave because the masons had to begin. We stopped cleaning and were told to come back the next day. We were to begin in the next room in another building. For the task, we had to use a few heavy machines, but when we arrived the next day, they were starting to mold the floors. This caused us to be unable to do our part. I asked one of the employees of the company who hired us; “Will we be able to come tomorrow?” He replied sincerely and in a very abandoning tone;” I do not know, we never know where we will be tomorrow – it always changes, it is terribly frustrating – it sucks!”
I thought OMG! What a terrible impression he gave me of the company. A disaster, poor management, and bad planning, in my view.
My point is; You can be a Master Chef with 5 Michelin stars. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are the best person to manage a restaurant.
So, to be a skillful leader is no longer just about your resume or your leadership experience from previous jobs. It is about human qualifications combined with today’s requirements and perspectives.
Here are my top 5 recommendations a leader of this era must be able to possess, to be able to keep up with developments.
• Being Likable – is, in my view, the most important element in the leadership of the future, to be able to enter a room as Princess Diana could. Everybody feels comfortable. Be polite and speak to everybody. Be sincerely interested in the people in your team and their lives. Be present and learn to accommodate people’s differences and make them feel at ease.
• “Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job, you’ll make a living, if you work hard on yourself you can make a fortune.” Quote Jim Rohn”
Important to be a role model. Even when you make mistakes, own them and learn from them. Participate with your employees, set a good example. Don’t sit back and say GO GO GO to the group. I do not need to do it, I am the boss.
Ask yourself this question daily; “Would I do, what I ask my employees to do?
• To inspire the organization, speak in WE term. Create motivation and lead with your “emotions” – your employee should be able to feel you in the things you say and do. Get rid of the “them vs. us”. mentality
Get employee on the same team and mission in the company, create common visions at a professional level with a high degree of the social aspect. Friday night bar or a beer after work – means a lot in terms of loyalty if the managers are present and hang out.
• Be passionate, be authentic, that is what it takes to transform YOURSELF and YOUR team. Be patient and get help with the process. Create a “safety zone” where the employee can grow.
In the Network Marketing industry, they are eminent at getting the individual distributor to feel as part of a larger mission, something that is bigger than one itself. Something you can see and believe in and want to be part of. Create loyalty and connect with the individual and let them understand they are an important player on the team.
• Be generous, offer development in Instead of settlement. Think about what it cost to recruit a new employee. Which values are lost, when people leave the business, the know-how and the relationships that are lost when an employee leaves. Create Loyalty and have empathy – interact with them and do not be judgmental.
• Offer employee prosperity/growth and be brave enough to TALK to your employee. Make them committed to creating an attractive workspace. Let them be part of shaping their own job and responsibilities in the company.
“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to” Quote Richard Branson
So, stop looking at the resume or experience. Look into the organization and find your next leader in your own team and develop them, grooming them with business DNA and Visions, create an ambassador. We don’t have any business without the employee who performs various functions within the company.
Create a unique environment and look at what your competitors do – let people take responsibility and believe in self-management and development instead of leading with the old rigid principles.
Last but Not least, transforming employees into ambassadors, takes patience. It could be compared to making wine. You have to plant the trees before you can harvest the grapes. When you harvest the grapes, you do need to press the grapes and store it. Then you have to wait… Over time, the wine will become the finest.
“Don’t wish it was easier to wish you were better” Quote: Jim Rohn.
~ Gitte Gronning www.gittegronning.dk
Gitte Gronning is strong personality, focusing on personal development, sales and strategy. She is known for her analytical, critical and creative approaches to entrepreneurship and personal leadership. Personal development entrepreneur, and business and strategy developer.
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