These gravity defying trees are found all along the Sea Point promenade, in Cape Town, South Africa. The trees have endured gushing winds, and over the years, have naturally bent and grown according to their context. Likewise, leaders are required to reshape themselves to meet the needs of their environment, filling their suitcase with a wealth of knowledge and skills. But what happens if the winds at Sea Point suddenly start to forcefully blow in the opposite direction?
A few questions arise. How did you as a leader adapt to the sudden pandemic that redefined our workplace ecosystem in profound ways? How many leaders today are ready to reshape themselves once again to the challenge of a flexible, hybrid workforce and the unrelentless and often unpredictable change across all aspects of life?
Through our work at Joint Prosperity, we have found proof of Newton’s third law*, as the increased pressure on digitisation and efficiency has resulted in an increased need for connection, intimacy and authenticity. We have found 3 consistent leadership themes post Covid-19:
- Leaders have a different appreciation of both time and the different aspects of their lives. They are now wanting to invest their time meaningfully, by leading a business which aligns with their personal purpose and values.
- Leaders are feeling disempowered with higher levels of burnout, as Boards are getting more involved and placing increased pressure on results.
- Leaders are needing to realign their leadership styles, by focusing on their people as whole beings; while ensuring they create flexible and responsive businesses.
This has had a significant impact on the coaching needs highlighted by leaders. Not only has the general need for coaching grown, but there is a need to combine the deep personal insight and change that psychology facilitates with the empowerment and business savvy of Coaching. Leaders need to process and ‘make sense of’ the struggles they have endured and are experiencing; they need to identify and engage the newly developed parts of self as levers to drive personal and organisational success into the future.
We at Joint Prosperity combine our passion and expertise in psychology with our respect and experience in business in our coaching approach. Contact us to explore Coaching with a Psychology Edge.
* Newton\’s third law of motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.