It is time to reset the way we work and lead in 2022
Sometimes when life gets you down or you’re dealing with one challenge after the next, it helps to take a breather, take some time to pause and think about what you really want out of life. It happens to us all, we all eventually reach that point where we want to stop the clock for a moment, rewind or reset.
In the midst of this pandemic, the challenges may seem never ending and it’s hard to look for or even see the silver lining when you’re worried about your job, your business, paying the rent/mortgage or providing for your family. I get it, it’s hard at the best of times and even harder at the worst of times. But it’s important to build up all the courage you can possibly muster to face these challenges head on, even during a pandemic where all hope seems lost.
“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama
This pandemic gives us a unique opportunity to reflect on our choices, our journey, our lives and reimagine and reset our world. The only way from here is up and who knows, by pushing the reset button we may pave the way to a better, kinder, friendlier, and more inclusive world.
Sonia McDonald CEO and founder of LeadershipHQ, McDonald Inc. and the Global Leadership Awards says –
“This is the kind of world we need, now and into the future.”
We have redefined the meaning of leadership. In fact, we are already seeing many leaders, managers, bosses, and CEOs start to embrace new post-pandemic styles of leadership as we see in 2022. These traits include empathy, kindness, compassion, courage, and resilience. This is a welcome change, especially after a survey from the Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP) showed that almost 3.5 million Australians hate their boss and more than half of workers feel their tolerance for bad behaviour, rudeness, work politics and drama has reduced compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, Australians who are currently working from home or doing part time work are dreading having to interact with their bosses once they return to work. This is sad to see, and I can only hope that these bosses take a step in the right direction and apply kinder approaches to teaching, mentoring and coaching their team members. Because employees don’t want to stay in a work environment that is toxic or has a boss who belittles them, and I don’t blame them.
For many workers, this pandemic has made them realise that they don’t want to spend their lives working in an environment with bad bosses and coworkers who bully them. That’s why we are seeing an increase in start-up businesses. According to a recent QuickBooks’ New Business Insights Report, 17 million new businesses are expected to be launched in 2022. The report also states:
- More than half (57%) of surveyed respondents said they dream of owning their own business “to be my own boss” and “to have more control over my future” as their leading motivations for starting a business.
- 50% of respondents said they’ve spent more with small businesses during the pandemic.
This shows that people are tired of working for bad bosses and want to test their talents and skills in the real world. They want to work for themselves and become their own leader and boss. The pandemic and resulting lockdowns have given them time to reflect on whether their current job makes them happy and dream about other possibilities and paths. It also proves that leaders need to build on their leadership skills or risk losing their most talented employees.
Here is a great statement in December 2021 from Alex Chriss, executive vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business and Self-Employed Group.
“When the pandemic hit, we saw an unprecedented number of new businesses formed as millions of people spotted new opportunities brought on by the ‘new normal’ or reevaluated their priorities. Now, almost two years later, we’re continuing to see this trend, as 2022 promises to deliver even more small business growth and prosperity.”
Not only does the pandemic provide a chance for employees to grow, it also presents a fantastic opportunity for leaders to brush up on their leadership qualities. Even if you make the choice to start today, you are making progress in leaps and bounds. You can be a courageous and kind leader, you can change, reinvent the wheel and make your business a great environment for employees to work in, you can attract a huge talent pool of skilled and experienced employees.
You just need to press the reset button and make that decision to be a kind, compassionate, empathetic and courageous leader. This is why the team at LeadershipHQ are proud to be changing the face of Leadership across the globe around our consulting, research, programs and Leadership Awards. Now is the time for great leadership.
By Sonia McDonald
CEO & founder LeadershipHQ and McDonald Inc.
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