We live in a time of change. Global challenges, such as the climate crisis or a pandemic, are bringing about a change in social values that is also turning individual priorities upside down. The pioneers are the digital natives, who are now entering professional life and demanding the implementation of technological progress in their everyday working lives in order to live up to these values.
But how should management respond to this change? What does leadership look like at a time when change and disruption are the order of the day? New Leadership is an organizational approach that is fluid, open and adaptive. Starting from empowering employees in their competencies and passions, it aims to develop a collective strategy that promotes sustainable and inclusive growth. Sounds all well and good, but what does it mean in concrete terms?
Goals of the New Leadership Approach
This means that the company
- collaborative networks established,
- who work in self-managing teams
- work in fast cycles and
- focuses on value creation.
This also means that New Leadership lives from the corporate culture. This is open, collaborative and agile. The way the company is managed has to be rethought. The shift from individual leaders to networked leadership teams that steer the company makes the old, strictly hierarchical leadership model obsolete. Often, the hierarchical system is perceived not only by employees, but also by managers themselves, as an obstacle in dealing with the complex realities that a company has to deal with today.
However, under New Leadership, a company still needs leaders who are experts in their field. The difference is that the organization runs as a management team, because the team can collectively accomplish more than the individual members.
In short, New Leadership has a clear focus and purpose - to enable people to work and learn together to build an ever-evolving value system that benefits all stakeholders.
Implementing New Leadership - how it works
Phase 1: Preparation
To implement this, a comprehensive preparatory phase is first required. First, the status quo should be recorded.
- What do employees see as organizational challenges?
- What do they see as their individual strengths?
- How do they feel about the current corporate culture?
- How would they define the company's goals themselves, and does that align with the team leaders' goals?
Part of this survey should also include a comparison of the company's perception, the perception of the management as well as that of the employees in order to create a comprehensive picture.
Phase 2: Conception
From the results, individual and company-specific needs can then be identified in the next step. They serve as the basis for developing a new concept that focuses on these needs. Different interpretations of corporate goals also stand out in this evaluation and conclusions can be drawn about required workshops or trainings. In concrete terms, a timeline is created from which the first preparatory measures can also be derived. The first practical tests can also be carried out by a pilot team, so that the concept can already undergo initial adjustments in this phase.
Phase 3: Onboarding
This is followed by the implementation of the concept throughout the company. A second onboarding phase for the employees, but also for the team leads, is scheduled. The differences in working methods identified in the preparatory phase can be addressed through individual workshops and training sessions with a thematic focus. Team cohesion in particular should play an important role here in order to prepare for further collaboration in the best possible way.
Phase 4: Mentoring
New Leadership is a continuous process. That is why it is particularly important to continue monitoring the newly implemented methods and concepts and to make adjustments. This can take the form of regular mentoring by the pilot team. Furthermore, it is important to establish a neutral contact person who is intensively familiar with the newly introduced concept and is constantly available, especially during the introductory phase. Regular cross-company check-in meetings offer a good opportunity for exchange. This again stimulates a conscious examination of the changed way of working.
Phase 5: Expansion
Ultimately, the implementation of New Leadership should never be considered complete. Not only the circumstances of the employees can change, but also the requirements of the company. In order to absorb this, it is important to firmly incorporate the check-in dates and feedback cycles into the further planning and not to rest on functioning concepts.
Giving Credit - Appreciation as an Element of New Leadership
Last but not least, another important aspect of New Leadership is to share the changes and successes with everyone. By transparently communicating the results achieved and thus also the benefits of the New Leadership approach, further support and acceptance of the implementation can be gained within the company. This can take the form of regular updates, internal communication tools or presentations. Not to be forgotten are the individual successes of the employees. By recognizing these successes, their expertise is valued and thus a basic building block of the New Leadership concept is implemented.
