This article is written by Rashmi Laljee, Senior Master file Maintenance Representative at the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Ontario

“For us to move forward, to keep moving and moving forward, we have to do it together — all together”.

This was Justin Trudeau’s message to New York University’s Class of 2018. It garnered worldwide praise, and for good reason.

Within it contains Trudeau's vision of leadership, one that calls on organisations, especially in the public sector, to move beyond tradition and towards a more modern approach.

As the Canadian economy stumbles on through the Covid-19 crisis, work cultures are becoming more flexible, citizens more informed and human resources in organisations more educated and talented. This is also spurring demand for leadership that is contemporary.

Changing expectations

The need for leaders to change tact stems from the ever growing constraints placed on them. Leaders in the public sector today are required to deliver more based on the ever-increasing expectations, and with fewer resources, and more budget controls than ever before.

Good leaders today must allow for inclusive and collaborative management and use a team-based approach to evaluating success

Tammeid, M.,Virtanen, P. points out that we are shifting towards a “VUCA-world”, characterised by increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Economic contraction resulting from Covid-19 already poses a severe challenge to employers, who must manage the day-to-day operations of vast remote workforces while balancing the need for inclusion, team communication, connectivity and talent retention.

Rather than simply ride the wave, leaders should think about what makes for an effective captain at the helm in such troubled times.

Alex Budak wrote in 2017 about the “4 Leadership Lessons from Justin Trudeau”, which convey some of the secrets to his popular leadership approach. Trudeau has shown that, even in the best of times, you need to be accessible, willing to collaborate and show that you are there as a leader to solve people’s problems.

A research paper by Deloitte entitled: Millennials disappointed in business, unprepared for Industry 4.0, suggests that Generation Y (born between 1981 and 1996) prefers working in organisations make explicit their aim to create positive social impact, internally as well as externally. This by itself is changing the meaning of good leadership. Good leaders today must allow for inclusive and collaborative management and use a team-based approach to evaluating success.

To draw on further examples of modern leadership, let’s not forget Jacinda Ardern, who's lasting positive impact on the population of New Zealand has been achieved largely through acts of kindness as well as problem-solving during the pandemic. This has motivated the staff in her cabinet enough that many have continued to work flat out while accepting a pay cut. Ardern's contemporary leadership can be seen both in the way New Zealand has managed the pandemic, and in the wake of the Christchurch massacre of 2019.

Emotional quotient

One of the most critical factors in Trudeau's leadership success is what is called EQ or “emotional quotient”. Leaders who score a high EQ understand the emotions of others such that they are able to have a positive influence on the vast majority of people, rather than a contentious base.

Another way to adopt the contemporary form of leadership is to provide a welcoming environment that allows ideas to flourish. This generally attracts high performers and provides employees with a sense of purpose, thereby mitigating the brain drain within the public sector and reducing the need to depend on external resources for innovative and qualitative work.

A third distinctively contemporary leader, Barack Obama, demonstrated this aptitude with grace. He often sat with staff of high-level leaders in White House Situation Room to show that he valued their opinion, which sent out a message to other leaders.

Interpersonal skills are vital to developing a team and thereby achieving a higher success rate as a leader. Leaders don't just need success rates however. They also need people around them whom they can trust. If my team is motivated, in part, because I am open to their ideas, they will want to continue working with me.

The pandemic has marked a turning point in our openness to flexible working conditions, and so leaders must use this opportunity to truly connect with their teams and stakeholders.

Leaders, now is the time to rethink your visibility and approachability to employees. Emotional quotient is the key performance indicator to strive for. — Rashmi Laljee

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