What qualities will great leaders need in 2021?

As 2020 draws to a close, we take a look at what has changed when it comes to leadership, highlighting the skills and qualities we believe successful leaders will be utilising further during 2021.

Building trust - Our prediction for 2021 is successful leadership will be shaped by the ability to build trust.  Our advice is to visibly express thanks for peoples contribution or show empathy and understanding of their situations if its challenging. Leaders who have a clear plan and communicated it openly to customers, been honest about what they do and don’t know or transparent about the approach they are taking, have been the ones who have stood out over the last year.

Igniting action - Inspiring through entrepreneurial spirit like Joe Wickes lockdown workouts, or meeting challenges head-on as Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand did, are great examples of leading from the front.  Truly great leaders are proactive, offer consistent and visible prompts for teams to emulate. Done consistently it goes a long way to strengthen a team’s contribution to the business success, something we’ll all be striving for in 2021.

Constantly improving - Investment in continual Leadership development, in our opinion should remain high on the agenda.  We recommend Insights Discovery as a tool to help individuals increase self-awareness, build better relationships, lead people effectively and work more harmoniously and productively in teams.  We covered personal development on the 4am club discussing how creating a network of trusted advisors, can give the opportunity to develop new skills, provide critical friends, be a sounding board for new ideas or offer an alternative viewpoint.

Being transparent - Managing change and uncertainty in our personal lives for the foreseeable future, it’s key leaders don’t add to the pressure their staff are feeling. Being proactive in asking team members what they need is important to ensure staff engagement remains high. 

Planning for scenario’s - Staying on top of restrictions and monitoring trends to inform scenario planning is a no brainer, for laying the foundations for the coming year by:

• Being clear on your marketing goals
• Updating business processes and efficiency
• Developing new products
• Contingency planning
• Greater digital automation

Building back better - Working leaner, smarter and building stronger foundations, has led to a mind shift to factor in the longer-term sustainability of all investments and activities. When the opportunity comes to grow and build your team, take the time to review your approach to workplace management, recruitment and how you attract talent.  We’ll all be starting 2021 with a different outlook and expectation which will include how we structure our working lives. 

In conclusion - It has been a year like no other, and we have been hugely impressed by the energy, resilience and passion leaders have demonstrated and look forward to supporting clients build on their achievements in 2021.  As a group of accomplished professionals, The Sussex Collaborative offers a broad range of leadership skills available to your business as a trusted member of your team.