How to be a long-term oriented leader
In such a transitional time for business, where technological innovation is driving digital transformation and geopolitical, environmental and economic challenges are creating turbulence for the workforce, effective leadership is more important than ever. As the challenges continue to change and grow, leaders must unite their workforce to work together and support each other, both through the festive highs and the inescapable lows.
With so many “short-term” challenges to meet, leading with a long-term vision in mind can easily be neglected.
1. Be a visionary
Any leader worth respecting has a clear vision of the future they want to achieve – a vision that can inspire others to action. This is a widely accepted fact, but this must be backed up by the ability to clearly articulate their views.
To be an effective leader in the long term, it is important to be able to share this vision with those involved in making it a reality, while prioritizing authenticity and having a realistic view of how goals can be achieved along the way. If people don’t thoroughly support your vision with honesty and a practical approach, people can tear your vision apart. So being honest about the hard work it will take and the challenges that may arise can only serve to demonstrate how willing you are to see your vision through. vision to its manifestation. Even though it takes time, celebrating progress and smaller milestones along the journey, and openly discussing difficulties, can help keep the vision alive.
2. Communication is key
Good leadership requires excellent communication. Communication is integral to a successful leadership strategy and can be a limiting factor for those who don’t use it. In higher-stakes situations, such as working with a multinational team spread across multiple office locations, while also having staff working from home, communication can make or break efficiency and workflow.
Whether it’s news about a product launch, updates on company strategy or even just an outlet for employees to speak candidly about their opinions and thoughts, maintaining an open line of communication with frequent check-ins ensures everyone is on track stays towards the same goal. It is the only way to guarantee that the message reaches everyone and is adopted. Even the way you deliver your message – through body language, the tone of the email and even the people around you, can influence how your message is received by different parties.
3. Presence can make the difference
Respect does not come easy for leaders who are not present and visible; being approachable is a real advantage. Making the time to regularly travel to regional offices and have face-to-face meetings, in addition to frequent video conferences with the broader global team, can really shape the perspective. Getting to know people who drive the day-to-day operations of your business will give you a better understanding of how your business operates, while also building a stronger rapport as your staff gets to know you too.
4. Be aware of culture
Spending time in the field highlights the importance of also taking into account cultural nuances and differences within different regions. When leading a global team for the long term, it’s necessary to be aware of regional differences, and to stay aware of how they change over time. For example, customers in Asia typically expected meetings to take place face-to-face. But as virtual business practices became more popular during the pandemic, many customers are now choosing to connect via video calls, and it appears the trend is here to stay at least to some extent.
5. Consistency is key
The biggest difference between a short-term and long-term leader is consistency of effort and discipline. Actions such as regular meetings for the leadership team to align them can support this shared identity. Invitations should be included in the agenda well in advance, and each session should reflect on the progress made since the last, the successes and lessons learned, the priorities for the future and any other relevant topics at the time. By covering all topics across all departments, insights are shared across teams and everyone is aligned on the same consistent business goal. This should be repeated in every region in which your business operates, and effort should be made to ensure actions are followed up where possible.
Final thoughts
Looking at these tips together, the common theme underlying them is trust. Any long-term leader will face challenges that are impossible to avoid completely. Throughout my career, I have had many difficult times where brilliant leaders have led the way and proven that I could rely on them with all my heart. After facing challenges as a team, strong bonds based on mutual trust can prepare a company for whatever comes its way. A good, long-term oriented leader will recognize the power of that trust and contribute to it by leading by example.
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