Hardcore leaders succeeding with soft skills in a world where the only constant is change

 

Today’s workplace is fraught with change.  In fact, embracing change has become the norm.  So much so that as soon as change kicks in one can almost hear the gentle click and chug of the cogs that drive the wheels of progress just when one has started to settle in and get comfortable with people, places, systems and processes.  It is at that point that one needs to shift into a higher gear or run the risk of being left in the dust.

 

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Charles Darwin

Leaders of the New Roaring Twenties and beyond need skills that were not even on the radar as recent as ten years ago

 

So what does that mean for the captain at the helm?  The leader who is responsible to ensure that their team is sufficiently equipped to handle whatever comes their way.  Lots.  To be a leader today entails a great deal more than managing by walking around, calling the shots and acting as a buffer against the tide.  On the contrary, as we embrace the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution with its associated technologies that are primarily responsible for driving most of the change that we see in the world today, the leaders of the New Roaring Twenties and beyond need to equip themselves with a whole host of critical skills that were not considered to be that important and not even on the radar as recently as only ten years ago.

 

The fast trending discipline of ‘soft skills’ as critical skills for the 4th Industrial Revolution

 

Whether one is an engineer or a banker, technical skills and qualifications are the ‘hard skills’ needed for one to be accepted into any profession. Yet, regardless of what profession or discipline one is involved in, the skills one needs to lead a team in successful pursuit of organisational goals and objectives are fast trending into a discipline of their own and have come to be known under the banner of ‘soft skills’.  These soft skills are a major topic of interest where it concerns the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2018.   It is these soft skills that now define the borders between a truly effective leader who is enthusiastic and engaged and one who is by all intents and purposes doing everything by the book, yet, is missing the mark at every turn.  The list of these ‘soft skills’ is rapidly growing as we constantly shift and evolve.  Let us now examine some of the main ones that will define the successful leaders of the New Roaring Twenties as we embrace the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

 

The Spirit of Resilience

 

Since the only constant we can rely on in the workplace of today is change, a good leader should adopt a spirit of resilience.  Individuals who are resilient are more often than not resourceful as well as agile and flexible.  As the landscape of the workplace shifts and changes, such individuals embrace change and adapt to what is happening around them regardless.  In other words, they have the ability to bounce back in a true spirit of resilience and are the ones that others look to when they become afraid.  An effective leader will acknowledge anxieties and fears and will find ways to relieve anxieties, assuage fears and boldly take risks to meet new challenges.

 

A high degree of Emotional intelligence (EQ)

 

In the last century and as recently as only twenty years ago, when we crossed the gap into the 21st Century, success was thought to be determined by the fact that one possesses a high IQ.  Today, nothing could be further from the truth.  While a high IQ will get you your banking or engineering qualifications it will do nothing for you if, at the other end of the scale, your EQ or Emotional Quotient is not up to scratch.  The truth is that while one might not be born with a high degree of emotional intelligence the good news is that it can be learnt and like anything else, practise makes perfect.  Emotionally intelligent leaders are the ones that constantly strive to understand why employees behave the way that they do, for example, as a result of a bad experience, a lack of trust or fear.  An understanding of this principle makes it easier to deal with any type of situation with poise and confidence.

 

Responding with Empathy

 

Responding to a situation with empathy enables leaders to better understand their employees as well as their customers.  That often means putting themselves into the shoes of others as well as being able to work their way into the hearts, minds and souls of the people.  This is par for the course in today’s leadership landscape and is often how a good leader will go about rallying the troupes to live, breathe and execute on their vision.

 

Passion and enthusiasm

 

When new to the task of leadership passion and enthusiasm are the spark to the flame, and form part of a cluster of electrifying qualities that are either present in the behaviour of a leader or completely missing in action. Since, often, when a lacklustre climate exists in the workplace, it is because these qualities are conspicuous by their absence in that the general vibe around what the leader puts out there is generally uninspiring, lacks vitality and the life force seems to have withered away.  True passion for a business, its products or services and its vision and mission is almost palpable.  Employees can spot a leader who is sincerely passionate and enthusiastic a mile away and the spin off effect is that these qualities are completely contagious and anyone who has worked with a passionate leader will attest to the fact that in more cases than most it is the passion itself that is the driving force behind the success of the business.

 

Acting with Integrity

 

It is an undisputable fact that leaders who act with integrity will engender trust amongst colleagues and their direct reports.  On the other hand, leaders who do not value integrity will not get buy-in from their teams which negatively impacts employee engagement and eventually erodes the bottom-line performance of the business.  Leading with integrity does not necessarily mean that mistakes don’t occur.  What it does mean is having the courage to own up to those mistakes when they do occur, thereby fostering a spirit of humility.  Those who lead with integrity also recognise that no one is perfect and that self-development, especially in a professional capacity, is an ongoing process.

Leaders that will succeed in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution

 

In summing up the essence of the importance of ‘soft skills’ in the workplace of the 4th Industrial Revolution, it goes without saying that individuals are more likely to follow the lead of someone who is a likeable boss.  Viewed from this perspective, the leaders that will succeed in the new era of the 4th Industrial Revolution are those who are naturally more approachable, friendly, well-spoken and demonstrate maturity and sincerity towards others.

 

Helen Fenton, Senior Analyst:  Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTi) www.boti.co.za

Business Optimization Training Institute (BOTI) is a Johannesburg based, Level 1 BBBEE business.  As a Services and MICT SETA accredited company, we have trained thousands of individuals from over 700 companies and our extensive course offering consists of Short Courses, Soft Skills Training and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Learnership Programs.  In addition, we offer bespoke training programs designed to cater to specific business needs.  Our training courses are focused on knowledge and skills transfer and we pride ourselves in being able to provide training anytime, anywhere across South Africa.

 

 

Please Contact Us Now - We Will Respond in 15 Minutes


    Accredited Courses

    Additional Courses

    Leadership & Management Courses

    Software & IT Courses

    Top Rated