“We need a new leadership development module,” Adil Malia

A big change in 2022

HR leadership during 2022 will singularly be expected to facilitate leadership dialogues around change in the business models through an inclusive design thinking process. Old trains no longer go to new destinations!

The consequential impact of the change the business models will bring about — in terms of:

(a) Organisational structuring

(b) Transitioning of process for acquisition of talent with new skills

(c) Designing new programmes for connection and engagement of talent, and

(d) Developing anti-fragile leadership capabilities through inclusive and participative process — will prove to be their design and delivery challenge.

Leadership needs to guard itself from committing the greatest blunder their HR managers would be tempted to indulge in at such times, that is, ‘kickstart’ operations to quickly experience normalcy. That will only lead to designing of myopic programmes to motivate talent to return to the pre-COVID state. That would be like misjudging implications and a wholesale squandering of a lifetime opportunity to transform. It may make them win the war, but they will certainly lose the battle!

Change in leadership development programmes in 2022

2022 is not 2021+1 or 2020+2. It is a different situation and will require a different mindset to cope and also thrive. Leadership drivers in the new context will be different. Jumping back to the old wagon may seem to be the comfortable and normal path of least resistance.

However, that would be misusing an opportunity and it will bring its own setbacks soon enough. Organisations will need to develop new business models and support them with ‘anti fragile’ leadership capable of coping with them.

“Builiding ‘employee connect’ with the vision, mission, strategy and values will become more critical”

Thus, new leadership-development modules for a successful way forward will need to be worked on. Programmes will need to be designed based on readiness for ‘digitally futuristic bespoke interventions’.

Voice for change among employees getting stronger

Building ‘employee connect’ with the vision, mission, strategy and values will assume greater criticality. Disconnection may lead to higher talent loss and attrition. This phenomenon can be called ‘The Great Resignation’. Greater transparency and inclusion through participation will, therefore, be called for in the new situation and the distant voices of digital employees will need to be sincerely listened to or it will lead to alienation and poor employee experiences. Consequences of this dis-linkage may reflect in the morale and disconnected participation of employees in the enterprise’s forward journey.