Page 47 - Future Demands Jan 2021
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FUTURE DEMANDS
DOMINIC SCOTT
MANAGING DIRECTOR – ALEXANDER HALL
THE ROLE OF LEADERS IN CHALLENGING TIMES
What is the number one responsibility of a leader?
To make people successful? To offer a great service? These are the answers I’ve typically heard in training sessions over the years.
But, maybe, in light of our experience of 2020, the right response is to protect the well-being of employees and customers.
Often the application of this is contained to mundane health and safety briefings or ensuring employees take pre-booked taxis home after a night out, and amidst daily protocols of office life our primary leadership purpose to protect can get a little lost.
However, the enormity of 2020’s event has brought an acute level of intensity to this area, where decisions leaders make could literally mean life or death for employees and customers and their families too.
Working from home has been regarded as the panacea, but long term this is broadly a middle class/middle manager privilege for those with adequate space, desirable company and a job role which complements it.
Only one of these elements needs to be to be compromised for new challenges to arise, such as mental health concerns. After all, there is a reason that solitary confinement is a punishment.
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