What it means to be a great leader has become more complex, particularly as organisations and society evolve, writes Aaron McEwan, Vice President and HR Advisory, Gartner.

Employees have faced a considerable amount of personal and social turbulence, from the pandemic as well as other external global factors. This, in addition to work-life fusion and hybrid work arrangements, has caused the boundaries of the leader-employee dynamic to blur, calling for leaders to navigate their relationship with employees on a human level.

To drive leadership success moving into 2023, human leaders require three key qualities — authenticity, empathy and adaptability.

Quality No. 1: Authenticity

Employees are asked to bring their ‘full selves‘ to work, which is difficult to do amid social and political turbulence. Only 26 per cent of employees say that members of their team share similar opinions on issues, which may create friction.

It is no longer enough to simply role-model professional behaviour in line with the organisation’s values. Leaders must also model what it means to bring one’s ‘full self’ to work, and balance open expression with an inclusive environment that upholds company values.

To create the space for safe self-expression in today’s environment, lead authentically and act with purpose. Instead of enforcing strict professional boundaries, human leaders enable safe personal expression at work.

Quality No. 2: Empathy

We are in a new era of work-life fusion where bedrooms have become makeshift offices and personal stresses may bleed into working hours. While the pandemic hastened this shift, generational shifts are also at play. 81 per cent of HR leaders say Gen Z employees expect their managers to demonstrate high emotional intelligence.

Leaders must go beyond supporting teams’ work needs and support their life needs as well. This requires greater empathy — showing genuine care, respect and concern for employees’ wellbeing. Instead of addressing the work needs of employees, human leaders address the life needs of people.

Quality No. 3: Adaptivity

Employees continue to demand greater work flexibility, prompting organisations to embrace remote and hybrid work. However, the push for flexibility is about more than just location — it’s about when, how much, with whom, and on what they work.

87 per cent of HR leaders say that employees now expect a more personalised work experience that suits their unique needs, requiring managers to tailor workflows according to each employee’s circumstances. This is particularly important considering the findings of Gartner’s latest HR survey, which showed manager quality continues to be the main driver of employee attrition.

To make employees feel understood as individuals, those leading must show greater adaptivity — enabling flexibility and support that fits team members’ needs. Instead of managing standard workflows for efficiency, human leaders manage individualised workflows to deliver.

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