Taking Stock of the Leadership Toolbox

Instrumentally sound principles for guiding Gen Z in a hyper-reactive world.

The famous American gymnast Simone Biles is quoted as saying, “The best kind of people are the ones who inspire others to be better.”

In a world that is changing at an ever faster rate, permanence is elusive, and we strive to find axioms — truths that do not change.

Indeed, inspiring “others” — friends, family, team — to perform better toward collective goals is one of the axioms of leadership.

Gen Z, the first digitally native generation, is now set to assume positions of responsibility. This is the first time in about a century that we have young adults who are free from the stereotypes of mass media. The mass media stereotype was one where millions of people consumed identical content, streamed by a select few television networks, or published in a few popular newspapers or magazines. The digital native, though, is not constrained for choice, and is exposed to a far more diverse range of content and influence.

This makes the need for axioms relevant. And the reason I bring this up shall become evident in a moment.

Over the years, as I navigated complex working environments in government organizations and corporations, I learned that success can often be fickle and occasionally boils down to just luck — being in the right place at the right time.

But as I reflected on that statement, a question that kept coming back to me was: How can I be in the right place, at the right time, more often?

It is a question that can perhaps be viewed axiomatically. Despite the diversity of choices, content and influence that inspires Gen Z, the answer to that question will not change much.

And that answer, at least in theory, is simple enough: Create the right conditions around you. Build a team where each one strives to be better, collectively. Once you are a part of such a team, you have figured out the right place. And all that remains is to seek opportunities to perform optimally.

Since that sounds simple enough, it is time to ask the obvious: How do you build such a team? And I could rephrase that question to: What are the hallmarks of an inspirational leader?

So, distilled from my career, here are seven leadership lessons that might resonate.

Empathize

There is a common phrase that many of us associate with failure: “We are all human.” However, it is worth noting that human nature does not have the predisposition to fail. Humankind would not have survived and thrived on Earth unless human nature had inherently been geared for success. And therefore, when we empathize with a teammate, we are not accepting poor performance or failure. On the contrary, by seeking to understand the unique path that an individual is following, we are giving that individual the space, the reassurance and the confidence that we have the person’s back.

Often, empathy creates strong bonds, inspires loyalty, and of course, results in improved outcomes over time. Gen Z, with lower attention spans fed by short video on mobile devices, often has a strong opinion on issues.

Opinionated individuals need to be especially careful about empathy and ensure that they do not prejudge a situation based on the opinion they carry.

Delegate

This is important, especially for organizations or teams that are growing, and where individual roles are still evolving. Very often, we find leaders who find it difficult to let go of work they did when the organization was smaller. This leads to two problems. On one hand, it stretches the leader, taking their mind off higher order issues that should be the leader’s concern. On the other hand, it prevents the team from growing into their roles and fulfilling their potential.

So as teams grow, leaders must learn to delegate and ensure that this principle is followed down the line as well.

COACH

This principle goes hand in hand with the previous one. It also answers a key question leaders often have when we discuss delegation — they are often worried about over-delegation resulting in suboptimal performance.

This is a valid concern. Which is why, as team members grow into new roles and responsibilities, it is important to coach them on how to carry out their new tasks.

Delegation and coaching go hand in hand. And as leaders delegate, they will find, almost magically, that they have enough time to coach.

Encourage

This is perhaps the simplest of these seven principles. Encourage your team members. Reassure them that they can achieve their goals. Appreciate good performance. When we encourage a teammate, we communicate trust. Not only does this boost confidence, but also builds loyalty to the team.

Encouragement is inspirational. It is also underrated. We could all do with more of it — both given and received.

Belong

Does a leader belong to their team? What does “belongingness” convey? It conveys the sense to the team that the leader is one among us.

Unfortunately, politics often throws up poor examples of belongingness. We see politicians getting elected on appeals to race or religion. In my view, that is a narrow view of belongingness. When I, as a leader, “belong” to my team, all of my team members must identify with me. And for a leader to achieve this can often be hard.

Early in my career, I got an opportunity to lead a large team (with over 50 members), predominantly in their mid-20s. They were starting their careers. Their perception was that they were working long hours, not being compensated and that my position came with privilege and comfort.

It was hard work for me as well. And I would often be working late, much like my team members.

With one difference, though: I was always working late, while only some of my team members worked late each day. And at the end of the day, as I was chauffeured out of the complex, I would notice them trudge to the nearest train station for their ride back home.

One day, I decided to use the train and met a few of my team members at the platform. The ride was a short one for me, and I made it a habit.

So nearly every day, after being the “boss” at work, I would ride home on the metro, rubbing shoulders with a colleague who reported to me at work.

This might sound routine in an ordinary work environment. But in the circumstances that existed at that time, this one action ensured that I “belong.” And it inspired an unshakeable loyalty from the team.

The stint was one of my best ever and was instrumental in my subsequent success. It all began with something as simple as a metro ride back home.

Plan

This principle reminds one of the maxim “do not let what is urgent mask what is important.” Often, in the hurly-burly of work, we tend to gloss over planning for the team. We might make business plans, but those plans shall not resonate with the team, unless buried within them is a reasonable growth path for the members.

So, plan for your team’s growth. Listen to each team member’s vision of where they see themselves a few years down the line. Seek alignment. This might or might not ensure longevity of a team member within the organization, but it will still be a good bet for mutually favorable outcomes.

Unshackle

A corollary to plan is to unshackle. In the 21st century, permanence is a myth. Gen Z likes to follow impulses, undertake adventures and take risks. Therefore, as a leader, it is important to encourage the development of multiple skills, to build redundancy, and to prepare for transitions. With such arrangements in place, unshackle your team. Do not threaten them with conditions being attached to their departure. Let them know they need to deliver, but only as long as they enjoy their work and feel it is worth it.

Those were some pointers that I picked up over two decades, working with and leading diverse teams. I hope you find them useful as you prepare to embrace the future.

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This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of In the Lead magazine, from Stillman School of Business’s Department of Management and the Buccino Leadership Institute. The bi-annual magazine focuses on sharing leadership perspectives from the field, with content that is curated from leaders across industries.

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