How can leaders be even better in 2023?

By Geoff Lawrence, Vistage Managing Director UK

It’s often said that people don’t leave companies - they leave bosses. That’s because no one has a greater impact on the day-to-day life of employees, everything from professional development to personal performance and productivity. More importantly, business leaders take the lead in forming the overall vision and purpose; which ultimately helps to inform company culture. In short, there is no room to hide as a leader and there’s never a better time for self-reflection than the New Year. It provides company heads the perfect opportunity to stand up and hold themselves accountable for their own leadership style.

No role has experienced greater change in the post-pandemic environment than that of the business leader, who has had to navigate operations through back-toback uncertainty - as it turns out the ‘new normal’ was a myth. The biggest challenge business leaders now face, is leadership within the hybrid workplace. Once capable of finding one management style that suits and running with it, business leaders are now having to bridge two different styles. One that complements the traditional Monday through Friday model in-office, and another with remote and flexible working in mind.

In 2023, a more empowered, enlightened and hybrid workforce will demand even more from CEOs than ever before. While workers still require job structure, task identification, deliverable schedules, goals and metrics; however, this hybrid way of life born during the pandemic, requires an extra element of care. This is a chance to rewrite the wrongs of previous leadership techniques, with the freedom of creating an agile leadership style that effectively works in collaboration with the hybrid workplace. For example, bosses will need to learn how to help maximise in-office days for collaboration, innovation, problem-solving and team-building events, or risk losing the focus of their team.

To foster accountability in a hybrid workplace, bosses must balance leadership demands, coaching requirements and performance management responsibilities. In essence, they need to wear three hats simultaneously serving as a leader, coach and manager.

• LEADER: Leaders engage and connect their team to the organisation’s goals. As a leader, 2023 is the year to doubledown on the vision and direction for the workgroup, aligning the efforts of individuals and teams to reach broader objectives together and as a team. As the main driver of culture it’s important to provide a consistent connection to properly communicate and reinforce overall culture.

• COACH: Coaches empower individuals to improve and teams to excel. In this position motivation and inspiration is key to helping employees realise their goals and become the best they can be. Work with people to develop their skills, enhance their capabilities and realise their potential. Along with helping people set goals, try holding employees accountable for the activities and results needed to achieve those goals.

• MANAGER: Managers are responsible for individual and team performance. Clearly define roles, activities and responsibilities; set clear standards and expectations; and evaluate, critique and grade performance.

Performance management is no longer about counting numbers or tracking attendance, but about ensuring the quality of deliverables.

For many businesses, 2022 was a year of global disruption, sudden inflation, and adapting to new ways of working. As we enter 2023 leaders are going to have to ensure that their approach to leadership remains just as fluid as the external landscape. Being a leader isn’t a simple approach, it’s 3D chess! Channel a leader, coach and manager at the same time, to not only allow your employees to feel at ease, but to ensure they are thriving and reaching their potential and in turn fuel business growth.

Why some CEOs go fur ther and higher

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