Business leadership in 2021 is going to be different from what it has been for a very long time. While industries are gradually reopening and people are returning to work, a degree of uncertainty still prevails in the job market. In order to restore confidence, rebuild trust and regain resilience, business leaders will have to sharpen their focus on an exhaustive array of imperatives in the post-pandemic world.
Here are three must-have skills for leaders to stay relevant and sustain continued growth in 2021 and beyond.
- Empathy
It is important to demonstrate empathy while communicating with employees, partners, and customers. A leader must be able to walk in another person’s shoes to see the world from their perspective and understand what is important to them. In the context of the current situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, empathy is being able to ask how someone is really doing and listen to their response. While empathy has traditionally been a key differentiator between leaders who thrive and leaders who survive, it will be a must-have skill for all in the year ahead.
- Business acumen
Business acumen is not necessarily a skill; it is an intangible capacity to smartly navigate business intricacies, roadblocks, and eventualities. While it is good to have mastery over a particular domain, a basic understanding of all major functional aspects of a business is required of today’s leaders going into 2021.
- Emotional intelligence and agility
The ongoing pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s emotional and mental well-being. Leaders with high emotional intelligence and agility are more approachable, better listeners, and have a calm demeanor. Their quiet confidence tends to rub off on others, creating an environment of trust, transparency, and security.
