Welcome to HR by Design
Make no mistake, over the last two years, the world has been changed forever, and businesses must adapt to these changed circumstances. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic is over, life will not return to what it was.
The pandemic has been difficult for us all, and one of the consequences for business has been to move more rapidly to increase the use of technology. A change that would have taken years has accelerated over the last two years. If your business can exercise flexibility and become more adaptable, it will be more sustainable.
The stress leaders feel in managing worker expectations for increased worker-friendly workplaces will increase as they adjust to these circumstances.
So now more than ever, helping your talented leaders develop their people skills is very timely.
Within the context of the pandemic and collaboration with some great people, HR by Design (HRbD) has changed how we deliver Momentum, our flagship Leadership Development Program.
Global or Local Delivery?
In a global environment, it is important to consider the cultural context within which participants belong and for them to consider the implications of any actions they take. The benefit is that we do not assume western models will work or be appropriate in all cultures. Our models, although very well researched, are not imposed on the participants and discussed within the cultural context. We have had some deeply revealing discussions when working across cultures.
Momentum:
The Importance of People Skills for Leaders
Leaders are expected to communicate effectively with people at all levels. They are expected to influence others, make decisions, lead happy and productive teams and produce successful outcomes for the business.
Contemporary research tells us that ‘soft skills for leaders are in demand. Do you think the term soft skills, although a generally accepted term, really encompasses what additional business skills need? Soft suggests – comfortable, gentle and easy. The term ‘soft skills’ does not truly reflect what we need to understand when connecting with people. There is nothing ‘soft’ about soft skills. I prefer to call them People Skills. Think of a time you had to navigate through the delivery of bad news, an unpopular decision, manage a poor performance issue, terminate an employee’s employment or make an employee redundant. There’s nothing soft about these situations. They can be tough, challenging, emotionally draining, and, I’m told, keep leaders up at night. As difficult as these situations are, over time, most employees will forget why they found themselves in such circumstances, yet they will never forget how we made them feel.
Alternatively, if you have high-performing teams with great co-worker relationships, as the leader, you will be challenged to support them to stay on top of their game. Using great people skills to connect and engage people will see them flourish as a team, develop individually and stay engaged.
Having great people skills enables leaders to communicate and connect with others more effectively. Ask yourself, ‘Do you understand your people, their drives and motivations, and are you able to understand their behaviours and interpret their reactions? It’s about understanding how people tick!
Momentum will assist you in developing great people skills and provide a pathway to greater self-understanding by providing opportunities to deepen your understanding of how you tick.
For further information, please get in touch with Helen Hartley here!
