Characteristics and importance of people-oriented leadership

If crises are an opportunity to rethink and transform things that previously seemed to work perfectly, it is a good time to reflect on the modern leader.

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As a leader, you have probably had to choose between achieving the company's objectives or thinking about the well-being of the team. The reality is that it is a mistake to get to that point; Both are decisive in comprehensive management. It is necessary to find a balance in which the well-being of the collaborators is never, for any reason, forgotten in the process of achieving the tasks.

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to establish a new way of carrying out their activities. Especially remote work has given a complete turn to the processes to achieve the fulfillment of the objectives that companies set, which has come to focus more on the achievement of specific tasks and goals with well-defined deadlines , falling into the risk of downplay the importance of employee well-being and satisfaction.

For leaders, this represents new challenges. The need to do constant monitoring almost without losing sight of the progress of the established goals has become an impossible task to put aside, since the success and growth of the company depends on the achievement of the goals. At the same time, coordinating hybrid work teams, with almost a fifth (19%) of employees wanting to work fully remotely , can lead leaders to make the mistake of forgetting that before being the one responsible for compliance with the goals, you are leading people.

This is when you must rethink the leadership model you are implementing and analyze whether you are actually managing to balance the achievement of goals with the well-being of the team.

Why leaders shouldn't just focus on getting things done

Of course, goals are vital in any strategy, however, people-oriented leadership has shown better results when it comes to achieving the objectives of an organization.

Although the goals are being achieved, if the process for this involves pressure and confrontation, the result translates into damage at the organizational level. The wrong leadership style can lead to many problems not only for companies, but also for everyone involved. This includes low motivation, decreased productivity, disharmony in teams, high turnover, and the loss of quality talent.

People-oriented leadership is on a mission to develop valuable relationships with your employees, which empower teams and foster a more productive work environment.

Today, people are more likely to find new job opportunities thanks to remote work, so if they do not feel valued or consider themselves victims of the wrong leadership style, they will immediately start rethinking a change of company. Recognizing and rewarding their achievements, identifying and understanding their needs , being interested in knowing their emotions and guaranteeing their mental health, is a fundamental part of attractive leadership.

For companies, implementing a people-oriented leadership model not only allows them to develop solid and lasting relationships with their employees, but also to raise the quality of their services, unlocking new levels of meaningful experiences for customers.

Qualities of a more humane leader

Being a leader is not easy. In addition to shouldering the responsibility of guiding other people and ensuring good results for the organization, it is a role that must be constantly developed without neglecting details.

Ensuring personal balance is the first quality that a leader willing to elevate his collaborators must have. It is really difficult for a person with a mental and emotional imbalance to drive employees towards personal and collective success. Although it is normal that as humans at some point we fall into the consequences of frustration and stress of a fast pace of life and full of responsibilities, it is necessary to pay attention to even the smallest details and, if necessary, express yourself openly in search of from that balance point. Leaders also need support to be a true example.

On the other hand, just like companies, today's leaders must be characterized by flexibility . The pandemic taught us the importance of being prepared to adopt immediate changes, a quality that cannot be lacking in modern leadership. Having the ability to make adjustments when necessary, whether to avoid challenges that could affect the company or to promote opportunities for growth, makes decisions that can go hand in hand with the constant movements of a fast-paced industry.

Trust is also fundamental within a people-oriented leadership plan. At this point, leaders must work to reinforce trust towards collaborators. If possible, they should be allowed to establish their own work schedules in which they can deliver the best of themselves, whether working from home or in the office, and as a balance point find the best way to measure the achievement of the objectives.

Just as a leader must identify and seek support when they need to be heard, this must also be the pillar of support when listening to employees. There are thousands of cases of brilliant employees who saw their productivity and effectiveness suddenly reduced, including having a bad leader. It is necessary to have a well-established action plan for cases like these, since it is not always due to a bad disposition of the employee. Although until now it has been believed that executives should not get close to the personal lives of employees, after the pandemic it has been shown that many workers need spaces where they can express their emotions.

Faced with the increase in personal crises, illnesses, divorces, among other situations that affect anyone emotionally, the support of a good leader can be decisive in finding your way again. Even if it's just a time when they need help finding more challenges at work, having a more humane leader can prevent churn.

Finally, the example is key. No matter how good leadership policies you put in place, if the leader isn't setting the best example for employees, productivity can go down. Leading by good example is undoubtedly a characteristic that cannot be lacking in a leader who can impact and inspire others.

(About the author: Sergio Ramos Montoya is editor of the Social Geek site)

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