As more people return to the workplace with the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, the demands of managing a blended working arrangement of home and office are unprecedented. Managing those who may be anxious about or unaccustomed to their new working set-up places new demands on management. Now is an ideal opportunity to ask questions about the sort of leadership that is most effective in a changed, post-pandemic world.

Reflecting on the last four phases of modern leadership can provide an insight into how evolving management styles have altered the working landscape.

The 1980s – Dominating or controlling leadership

The era that defined the ego, 1980s leadership was all about creating a strong, didactic voice, driving forward your business through autocratic decision-making.  There was a stark delineation between management and staff. Power was vested in the few in the more senior roles and everyone else was expected to do their bidding with little consultation or agency. The ‘command and control’ atmosphere led to a realisation that successful progression up the strong hierarchical structure of business was dependent on being compliant.

Mid 1980s to 1990 – Negotiation or transactional leadership

A shift in business culture saw management become more objective-focussed, with employees encouraged to match their personal objectives to those of their organisation. Leadership shifted to a more transactional style, incentivising employees through benefits packages – for example, extra pension contributions or enrolment in private healthcare schemes.

The emphasis on objectives is credited with the establishment of meritocracy in the business landscape; employees increasingly understood that their input directly benefitted the overall success of the organisation, not just that of their managers. The effectiveness of all employees became more measurable and transparent – the infancy of performance management.

1990s – inspirational leadership

The nineties became about developing a more values-based leadership style, a precursor of ‘customer values’, with a shift towards creating and communicating mission, vision and values. In a time of intense competition, organisations used mission statements and straplines as a way of inspiring brand loyalty in employees and customers alike.

Leadership sought to cultivate a workforce whose shared values with the organisation meant they would remain committed and motivated. Similarly, leaders wanted to develop customer loyalty by highlighting their affinity with a brand’s values.

More recently – Co-creation and inclusion

The traditional style- where leaders dictated their decisions to a biddable workforce no longer sat comfortably with the modern world.  The buzzword became ‘inclusion’; working for an organisation shifted to working with an organisation. Involving employees in a more consultative style of leadership demonstrably led to better decisions and outcomes for organisations.

A workforce who feels that its voice is heard by management has increased trust and confidence in its leadership as well as greater motivation and commitment to its company. Leadership being part of the team and leading from amongst colleagues has become a defining style. The caveat? Ensuring clear delineation between leadership and employees, despite a more embedded management style.

The future

Navigating a way out of lockdown into a world where we must live with the pandemic has proved a challenging task for leadership, with constantly changing and often unforeseen demands created by external forces. As we start to transition to something approaching normality, there is an opportunity to assess the changes leaders face in the new way of working. How can leaders ensure everyone engages and works effectively as a team, when they don’t necessarily share a workspace any longer? What kind of leadership do we need in this post-pandemic world – and what do management need to do to facilitate this?

Cube Learning and Development delivers bespoke, personal coaching programmes to help you manage the transition into the ‘new normal’.  For a no-obligation chat about this and our other training, call Chris Burton on 07879 602002.