Bala V Sathyanarayanan serves as EVP & CHRO at Greif, Inc (NYSE: GEF) & Chairman of the Board of Directors at Balmer Lawrie - Van Leer Ltd.
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In the boardrooms of yesteryears, leaders commanded with an aura of omnipotence. But in today's dynamic landscape, such command-and-control leadership is getting a modern makeover. Through the lens of real-world examples, we'll dissect this paradigm shift where leaders are pivoting from dictatorial to democratically empowering.
Take the case of Blockbuster, a monolith in the video rental industry. Their adherence to an old-school business model and reluctance to adapt spelled their downfall. Conversely, companies like Netflix embraced agility, listening to the market and their teams. This differentiation in leadership mindset wasn't a mere strategy—it was about being open to change versus resisting it.
The Triumvirate Of Modern Leadership: Inspire, Engage, Empower
In a world bursting with challenges and opportunities, the inspiring, engaging and empowering leadership models shine.
Inspire
Consider Elon Musk's vision for SpaceX. His dream wasn't just about space travel but about making humanity interplanetary. He could have handed out a how-to manual to his engineers. Instead, he shared a vivid, inspirational vision, letting talented minds navigate the intricacies.
Similarly, Howard Schultz didn't view Starbucks as merely a coffee vendor. He saw it as a third place—a communal space between work and home. This vision reshaped our modern coffee culture, highlighting how an inspired idea can revolutionize an entire industry.
Engage
Patagonia, an outdoor apparel brand, is a testament to authentic engagement. Beyond merely selling products, they've woven a narrative around environmental causes, engaging their community in a dialogue about sustainability. Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia's founder, has cultivated a culture where both employees and consumers are deeply engaged in larger conversations, making them stakeholders in a shared vision.
Similarly, my own company, Greif, recently embarked on a journey to enhance employee engagement. Historically, we've faced challenges in fostering a unified culture due to our global footprint and diverse workforce. However, we recognize the importance of cultivating an engaged and aligned team, so over the past few years, we've launched targeted engagement initiatives, focusing on transparent communication and employee development programs and fostering an environment of mutual respect and trust. These endeavors bore fruit when, after consistent year-on-year improvement in engagement scores, we were recognized on Newsweek's 2023 list of Most Loved Global Workplaces. Our journey underscores that genuine, sustained engagement is not just about short-term initiatives but requires a strategic, long-term vision and commitment.
Empower
Adobe's "KickStart" initiative exemplifies empowerment. Instead of navigating bureaucratic hurdles, employees are given a box containing a $1,000 pre-loaded credit card to bring their ideas to fruition, signifying trust and direct empowerment. The idea has since been expanded to a full methodology that can be employed by other companies that believe that placing trust in your teams leads to innovation and fosters a culture of ownership and proactivity.
Future-Proofing Leadership
Transitioning from authoritarian figureheads to facilitative mentors is a requisite adaptation for present-day success—take, for instance, Satya Nadella's leadership at Microsoft. Unlike the traditionally siloed tech giant, under Nadella, Microsoft embraced collaboration and openness, heralding products like none other and paying dividends in employee engagement as well.
As the leadership playbook gets rewritten, a consistent theme emerges: The future of leadership isn't about dictating terms but about enabling voices, as evidenced by the real-world successes of today.
As we stand at the crossroads of leadership's evolution, let us remember that the true essence of leadership lies not in the power we wield but in the empowerment we bestow, lighting the way for others to shine.
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