The leadership opportunity of change

This article was written by Paul Boston, business advisor, leadership development at Ontario Public Service

• The problem: Leaders are constantly trying to adapt to changes
• Why it matters: Not doing so risks being left behind
• The solution: Taking advantage of opportunities in circumstances — such as the pandemic — can help affect real change

As leaders, we are faced with a tremendous amount of change, and the pace of that change escalated when the global pandemic hit in 2020. Most leaders I work with in the public sector are now experiencing a whole new level of change and uncertainty, with a feeling of being held under the microscope by the citizens they lead and expected to have all the answers.

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The leadership challenges during COVID are real, but they also got me thinking of a John F. Kennedy quote I often refer to during many of my leadership development programmes: “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger — but recognise the opportunity.”

If we are not able to lead ourselves first, we will miss most of the opportunities that present themselves during change.

Working in the area of leadership development and executive coaching, I have heard countless stories of how leaders don’t just cope with change but actually thrive in it, and are able to identify new and emerging opportunities that allow them to motivate, guide and provide insights for the people and teams they lead.

It might surprise you how simple some of these leadership skills are, yet they provide a tremendous amount of leadership impact when applied. Here are just a few of those leadership skills that will help you spot and appreciate the opportunities of change.

What can you control?

In my leadership development programmes, I introduce the concept of leading oneself before leading others. Why is this relevant during times of great change? If we are not able to lead ourselves first, we will miss most of the opportunities that present themselves during change. This could be missing an innovative idea an employee has in the moment, or just simply working at an unsustainable pace.

What leadership skill do I want my participants to learn? Simply to take note of the things they have 100% control over, some influence on and no influence over whatsoever. This could be done through a journaling practice of pausing during the day and writing a list of those three things. What happens over time (usually quicker than most people think) is leaders start noticing and applying new approaches to challenges their team members are facing.

Practice listening. I mean, really listen.

We listen to people all the time, but are we really hearing what they are saying or not saying? I know, I am guilty of this too. I am listening to them, but my mind is working so fast, I am running to solutions before I hear what’s being communicated.

I have learned that when I slow down and really hear what people are saying to me, I gain a deeper understanding of what they are feeling. As leaders, when you start to really listen to people, you will develop the ability to ask more impactful questions, provide your team with a positive perspective, and coach them along the pathway to discover it for themselves.

Wellness is the opportunity

Wellness has become a very popular topic over the last decade, and living and working in a global pandemic, leaders now more than ever need to focus on their wellness and the wellness of their teams. As mentioned in the point above, you must focus on your own wellbeing first, and one of the best ways to do it is to tailor your wellness actions to your unique situation. In leadership development, one thing I teach leaders to keep in mind is the relationship between performance and stress (the Yerkes-Dodson law). As stimulus or stress increases, so does performance, but only up to a certain point. Then workplace performance starts to deteriorate fast. This often leads to having to deal with staff going on short-term and long-term disability and it increases mental health issues related to work.

Leaders who can recognise when there is too much stress being placed on themselves and people they lead, can find innovative ways to help elevate some of the stress, and help to keep their teams working as optimal performers during a global pandemic.

Moving forward

Long gone are the days when knowledge was power. In our modern-day world, it’s only potential power. That is why it’s important to try one of these new skills and over time, as a leader, you will start to discover the opportunities during change. — Paul Boston

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