In this unpredictable world, business leaders who want to future proof their company must adopt new strategies and become agile to stay on top of their game. According to a global management consultancy group, many organisations are too bureaucratic, too slow, and too siloed. If this continues, experts believe organisations will not be able to thrive and grow in the future. Therefore, having a proactive approach to organisational change is better than reacting when everything has already happened. One way to do this is to future-proof your organisation.
However, future-proofing a company doesn’t happen without the intervention of business leaders. In these critical moments, they play a vital role in ensuring that organisations can survive future changes and challenges using a leadership approach that promotes growth and resiliency. The best leadership methods companies can use to future-proof their business are creative and conscious leadership.
Creative Leadership
Creative leadership is a style of leadership based upon the concept of working cooperatively to develop innovative ideas. Creating such conditions, which are sometimes called “supportive contributions”,[2] are described as psychological, material, and/or social supports that trigger, enable, and sustain creative thinking in others.
Experts believe that creativity has become a vital competency needed to navigate today’s complex environment where businesses are facing challenges on all fronts: technology, war, health, climate, and the increased polarization of society. Creative leaders thrive in the face of change. Instead of backing out from uncertainty, creative leaders see these changes as catalysts for improving, enhancing, or expanding their organisations. They also acknowledge that there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to situations. With this, creative leaders always develop new ideas to solve these challenges. Because creative leaders confront and adapt to any circumstance, this becomes an important attitude to make organisations future-proof.
Another admirable trait that creative leaders exhibit is their curiosity. Some of the most successful creatives take time for reflection to ponder what and how things should be done differently. Because of this, they don’t just settle for the easiest answer but always consider the best solution, even if it takes them a little longer to do so. Through this continuous pursuit of knowledge, creative leaders can formulate the best possible solution to any problem.
Right now, business leaders need to set an example which conveys confidence and adaptability in the workplace. By adhering to a creative leadership approach, leaders can discover various opportunities for business growth and resilience. It will also enable them to unlock and reach their full potential – something they may not realise if they become complacent and stay in their comfort zone.
Conscious Leadership
Conscious leadership refers to guiding others with full awareness of the self and cultivating growth in organizations by supporting the people in them. Instead of an ego-centric ‘me’ attitude, a conscious leader embodies all aspects of an inclusive ‘we’ approach.
Most of the time business leaders are taught what to do as leaders instead of learning how to be good leaders. However, more than ever we need to shift our focus from the individual to the collective which requires expanding our awareness and adopting a growth mindset. Studies by prominent constructive-developmental researchers revealed that new learning increases the human potential score of business leaders from an average of 65% to 80% or 90%. This means business leaders can further maximise their leadership potential, which will help them increase productivity as well as their impact on society.
Moreover, what sets conscious leadership apart from others is that it believes that development goes beyond creating economic value, which focuses on income and profit. Most conscious leaders also learn how to enable breakthroughs at all levels of society from individuals, teams, communities, organisations, and even nations. Lastly, the conscious leadership approach can allow business leaders to see the world with “new eyes” that reflect new possibilities and perspectives.
Conscious leadership is a simple yet practical method that will turn good leaders into great ones. It’s because merely knowing how to run a business is different from actually operating a successful venture. In fact, Being at Full Potential adheres to this leadership methodology and has seen the benefits of practising this approach. With continuous learning, individuals can reach their full potential, which is essential for business leaders to take their organisations to the next level amid a constantly changing economy. It will also ultimately help businesses future-proof their companies.
Which Method Should You Use?
There is no one perfect way to lead, especially in volatile conditions like today. CEO Terry Dry shared that change is inevitable, but struggling is optional. Therefore, business leaders should not ignore change and only hope it goes away. They should embrace change as per the creative leadership approach and take the opportunity to grow and become a better leader in line with conscious leadership. Although the beliefs of these approaches differ, they both aim to help business leaders understand how to future-proof their organisations. Ultimately, it’s up to each leader to take what they need from each method and apply it effectively to their organisation.
Specially written for beingatfullpotential.com by Jasmine Hum