17.11.2022
Crossing HR Borders - Stick & Carrot leadership is not working anymore
'Don't think outside the box, think outside your industry.' For a lot of HR problems today, a different domain has already solved that challenge. It can be very inspiring to cross some borders to gain new insights. And we're not talking about just crossing country borders, but also the borders of your discipline, industry or other unexpected resources. These insights can lead to specific solutions of the challenges that you're facing today.
Explore these examples in this monthly 'Crossing HR Borders' series.
Effective leadership in business can bolster and promote teamwork, cultivate a sense of greater good, motivate, inspire trust, or provide purpose and direction.
Or to say with the words of Steve Jobs: “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”
With this newsletter we want to give you some inspirational insights about future-proof and successful leadership.
Cross-silo leadership
Good leadership is about transcending departments and building bridges. These leaders speak the language of different groups. A good dose of curiosity combined with an open mind can help transcend silos. Help your people by asking more questions, so they broaden their own perspective and thereby reveal new opportunities.
In a digital consulting firm for example, the consultants didn't just talk to the IT director, but deliberately engaged with other parties in the organization - precisely to uncover the real challenges.
>>> As an HR leader, how can you build bridges between departments?
Leadership lessons from Jazz
In the world of jazz, there are 4 leadership principles that can also be translated to business: alternating leadership; really listening; improvising and putting your ego aside. In successful companies, the leadership (not always formal) also switches to the person who has the most expertise in a particular area. Employees' ideas are actively listened to. Leaders take into account that plans can and will change. And the interests of the organization take priority over personal interests.
>>> What can you as an HR leader learn from jazz improvisation?
Supportive leadership
Five qualities for moving from directive to supportive leadership:
* have a living, inspiring mission
* continuously listen to your employees on how to improve your organization
* destroy the ivory tower (no more status symbols and private privileges)
* dare to ask for help as this also stimulates the motivation of others
* trust your employees and do not micro-manage.
>>> What qualities can you encourage in your leaders of the future?
Transparent leadership
Transparent communication is crucial if you want to lead a successful organization. Open data available in real-time to everyone in the organization is perhaps the ideal form of transparency, but you can also achieve a lot by making certain decision-making processes visible and holding monthly town hall meetings.
Another possibility is to share your vision on leadership and other topics with your employees (and possibly the rest of the world). For example, entrepreneur Richard Branson regularly writes personal stories on his blog - which is also visible on the company website - about his challenges and vision.
>>> In what area can your organisation be more transparent?
'Crossing HR Borders' is the result of a co-creation between Marc Heleven - Innovation researcher and Cyriel Kortleven - Global speaker on the Change Mindset.
These articles were first published in the Flemish HR Magazine ZigZag.
More info: www.cyrielkortleven.com