Preparing for Major Shifts in Capabilities

    

While most business organizations are preparing for their employees to “return to work” this fall, they are new-normal neglecting to also prepare them with the new capabilities that will be needed to survive and thrive in our collective next new normal.

This blog shares ideas and insights about the capabilities needed to be successful in the next new normal based on interviews, focus groups, and observations we have had over the past 18 months of working with learners within large global organizations.

Shifts in Capabilities

The main idea here is that capabilities have shifted. What we once new to be the critical capabilities of success are no longer valid and have been replaced by different or evolved capabilities.

Embracing the Braggarts to Embracing Being Authentic

In the past, the braggarts (think big talkers, egotists, blusterers) were revered and embraced almost like superheroes. The hot shot, smoothing talking Salesman who would buy the round of drinks at the golf club was what everyone wanted to grow up to be. That persona is no longer socially or business-wise accepted in a virtual-remote-hybrid world. It has been replaced by transparent, thoughtful, authentic leaders who care about people as much as they do executing the strategy and creating shareholder value.

Listening to Hearing

There is a great difference between listening and hearing. I was recently conducting a Business Acumen assessment workshop and one of the participants did an exceptional job of truly hearing everything her teammates were sharing when they were making decisions running their simulated company. When asked in our coaching session about how her hearing skills presented well, she shared, “Anyone can listen. That’s what ears are for. But not many people can actually hear what other people are saying and analyze and comprehend it from a human perspective.” In our new reality, the ability to really hear people will be a driver of long-term success.

Time Management to Results Management

Time management is a critical process related to optimizing the most valuable resource we have, time. But in our new reality, time becomes more fluid, more multidimensional, and in many cases more flexible. But as great as the increase and flexibility of time, there is more pressure to perform and show results. With a remote workforce, where managers and supervisors can’t look down the hall to see who is working, results management becomes more critical than time management.

Emotional Intelligence to Psychological Safety

Emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and know how you come across to others is an important capability. But it should also be the entry ticket to the leadership party. No leader can be effective without it. More important in the new reality is psychological safety, the ability to create an environment where employees feel safe and secure emotionally so they can do their work. One of the most interesting outcomes of working remotely is that virtual meetings create more psychological safety. There is less opportunity for people to bully or physically intimidate others and as they can in an in-person environment.

Trying D&I to Embracing D&I

It is no longer a hypothesis. Actually having diversity of thought and cultures and being inclusive does yield better long term business results. Many organizations have tried it very nobly over the past decade but in our new reality it is critical to move beyond just trying it and checking a box to embracing it and making it a part of everything you do, and your business is about.

In summary, what got us here won’t get us there. We have never had a time of so much disruptive change and the more that you can adapt your capabilities to the realities of the new normal the better you will be.

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Robert Brodo

About The Author

Robert Brodo is co-founder of Advantexe. He has more than 20 years of training and business simulation experience.