Being a Modern Leader & Manager
Modern Leaders & Managers
I had recently taken a management seminar online and was very inspired by the presenter who I felt, shared my view of the new breed of leadership emerging as a result of technology. Below is a recap of the subject matter and what I was able to take away from it.
While many of the rules we clung to so strongly as managers and business leaders have changed over the years, the core principles of leadership remain mostly intact. With technology and social media truly transforming the world into a global village, leaders are no longer viewed as distant figureheads who declare orders from a lonely ivory tower.
Leaders & Managers are connected, accessible, vocal and apologetically modern. Here are 6 primary features of a truly “modern” leader and manager:
1. Imaginative
Creativity and innovation define success in the modern era. Leaders, managers and board members who lack the capacity to think big or tend to choose quantity over quality are unable to garner support from millennials and some baby boomers, who think beyond money for personal satisfaction.
2. Curious
If you love what you do, you never really get bored of it. Modern leaders epitomize this philosophy by continuing to ask questions, to explore the depths of their industry and to try things differently. They’re not afraid to work with a younger or older crowd because their insatiable curiosity drives their professional passion.
3. Flexible
One of the biggest things to change about contemporary business leaders is their outlook on flexibility. Thanks to technology and innovation dominating the discourse, more and more managers are realizing the importance of going with the flow, of embracing change and being more adaptable in an ever-changing industry.
4. Collaborative
Back in the day, the CEO used to be something of a phantom; a complete and utter mystery to the entire organization besides the upper management. Today, this has changed as business leaders realize the need to be more visible and integrated in their own company. Not only do modern leaders make themselves available, they also collaborate with others without letting their ego get in the way of business.
5. Communicative
Social media outlets make it impossible for supervisors and managers not to share information. Successful people take advantage of the resources at their disposal to communicate with their audience and promote their ideas, instead of hiding out in their private office, cut off from the rest of the organization.
6. Motivational
Most importantly, a modern leader & manager pays attention to employee morale. This means being a source of motivation for the company during the highs as well as the lows.
Bob Begley,
CAM, CMCA, AMS
CAM, CMCA, AMS