The Oxford Dictionary defines Renewable as: not depleted when used. This is a powerful concept when looking at this dawning year. My father used to say, “It is not about how you start but how you finish,” and I would reply, “But what about all the time in between?” The concept of renewable energy keeps bubbling up for me in relation to leadership. It is tempting to come out of the gate in January with renewed energy, but protecting it as a resource is sometimes harder for leaders who tend to do whatever it takes even if it leaves them depleted.
With the unpredictable nature of our economy, it is no wonder many leaders are experiencing burnout. But what does that really mean? I looked more closely at the factors contributing to burnout like uncertainty, workforce reductions, doing more with less, supply chain issues, restrictions of time and resources, the introduction of new markets, etc. It became clear the answer is in creating renewable energy within oneself that then has the power to set the pace for a leader’s team and stakeholders.
Leaders with renewable energy focus on long-term impact versus short-term gain… How?
Focus on the vision and direct every leader act toward the achievement of your vision and strategy. As a litmus test, relentlessly ask, “If I do this in the short term, will it support the envisioned future we have in place?”
It is important to set the course so you and those you lead understand the purpose of coming to work every morning. It requires bold decision-making regarding setting realistic targets versus short-term timelines that may appease stakeholders.
There is an element of both/and in looking at long-term impact and short-term milestones. Short-term metrics are an effective way to indicate long-term strategic intent. This both/and leadership plan involves constant reflection and adjustment to make sure the short and mid-term metrics are indeed aligned with the long-term intent.
Leaders with renewable energies are inexhaustible…
Many renewable energies we read about are inexhaustible but how is that possible in leadership? Leading in today’s markets requires leaders who can make values-based decisions in often unrelenting environments. People inside and outside the organization need to believe the leader will protect the company’s values and deepen trust when things are going well, and when they are not. The only leaders I know capable of this, are leaders who have identified, defined, and worked toward articulating shared core values with themselves and their teams.
Leaders with renewable energy harness the power of others…
This may sound obvious but there is a reason the motto for my coaching practice is, “If you want to go quickly go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -Lao Tzu
It is surprising the number of Senior Leaders who still feel they are leading alone navigating today’s uncertain tides.
“In a study by the Center for Creative Leadership of top American and European executives whose careers derailed, the inability to build and lead a team was one of the most common reasons for failure. Team skills, which had been of little consequence in a similar study in the early 1980s, had emerged as a key mark of leadership ten years later. By the 1990s, teamwork became the most frequently valued managerial competence in studies of organizations around the world.” -Daniel Goleman
Today it is paramount, and the inability to harness the power of others’ skills can deplete a leader faster than anything else. The good news is that when leaders effectively build strong teams they are capable of turning involvement into empowerment, multiplying an organizations’ flexibility and response times. They foster a spirit of belonging by harnessing the energy of improvement at all levels of an organization.
Leaders who build effective teams are self-aware and confident in their Servant-Leadership. They live and breathe the Lao Tzu quote above in their interactions with those they lead every day.
Leaders with renewable energy effectively mitigate environmental damage and scarring…
This is so important. It doesn’t mean leaders with renewable energy don’t make hard decisions that often affect people’s lives and livelihoods. It means they make those decisions grounded in their shared core values, with open communication, after having worked with those they lead to set a clear vision.
For example, in referring back to the short and long-term gains earlier in this article, leaders with renewable energy are committed to constant feedback on strategic metrics. They are not sparking unintended short-term behaviors from themselves or those they lead that are misaligned with the bigger picture of where they are going. Transparency and fervor around the envisioned future are palpable with leaders dedicated to mitigating damage and scarring even in the worst of times.
Leaders with renewable energy are regenerative…
This is truly where all the previous elements come together. If you are regenerative as a leader your energy is renewable and impactful. Regenerative energy relies on the understanding that everything is interconnected. Leaders who understand their responsibilities are to not just create economic value, but to contribute to the well-being of society and the environment they create, have the potential to be regenerative.
Leaders with this capacity take inspiration from living organisms and systems and their ability to self-regulate and create balance and growth even when the environment dramatically changes. Leading in this way requires a strong vision, that is purpose-driven and values-based, led by a strategic systems thinker.
Are you powered by renewable energy this year…
The leaders to watch in 2024 are those who understand the pitfalls of “short-termness” and how to balance it with long-term impact. They are inexhaustible and harness the power of others with grace, while effectively mitigating damage to the environment in their organizations. They are regenerative so you will see new growth and re-growth happening all around them. Leaders with renewable energy are kinetic and their leadership is “not depleted when used.”
I have had the honor of working with Senior Leaders for many years. I have learned by watching them lead that the answer is to create renewable energy systems within themselves first. This is not so, as leaders, they can weather the storm, but rather so they can harness its energy, and that is a very different perspective from which to lead.
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