Future Fit Leadership

Manas kindly hosted the group at his office – EMERITUS Institute of Management‍

Facilitators: Shubha Narayanan and Manas Mainrai

The Sandbox session was divided into 2 parts.

Part – 1: Appreciative Inquiry exercise to dream of a leader we consider to be future fit.  (future being defined as 2-5years).

Part – II: Identify the concrete leadership shifts required to become Future – Fit.

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Part 1:  Appreciative Inquiry exercise

Elements that were mentioned to describeFuture- Fit leaders Included the following.

Set Direction

·      Drive Outcome focus organisation

·      Establish clear Line of sight to purpose. 

·      Read the market and prepare the people.

·      Focused on solutioning rather than finger pointing.

·      Provide a framework for meaning and effective collaboration.

Manage People

·      Assess outcomes not visibility

·      Give people an equal voice. 

·      Treat employees with empathy without biases.

·      Give employees freedom to give/open to receive feedback.

·      Allow employees strengths to be leveraged.

Grow themselves

·      Themselves willing to learn and change.

·      Hold themselves accountable.

·      Trust employees from day 1

·      Demonstrate behaviours in line with values. 

Part – II:10 Leadership SHIFTS required to become Future – Fit.

1.     Create ‘Egalitarian’ Culture at work place

2.     Harness diverse workforce energy like a music conductor-orchestrating a diverse workforce which could include Experts, Partners, Gig workers, Permanent employees etc ( Enabling each one to be heard, included and belonged)

3.     Create Line of sight to PURPOSE

4.     Move to ‘Whole Human’ Experience- Know employees as individuals ( their personal needs, interests, constraints).  Play to individual  employee’s strengths.

5.     Switch from seeking certainty to establishing clarity (making sense of the VUCA world)

6.     Pick Messages from the top with Echoes from the bottom  ( Bea Thermostat NOT a thermometer)

7.     Drive productivity AND be humane 

8.     Be an Expert, but acknowledge I don’t have all the answers.

9.     Don’t just Communicate, ensure there is a Connect 

10.  Demonstrate leader presence, while being seen to be authentic. 

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