2020 Hot Topics in Leadership

My 10 Hot Topics in Leadership for 2020

Way back in January of this year (seems like a lifetime ago), I wrote about the “Hot Topics for Leaders in 2020.”  The list included…

1. Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
2. Culture
3. Employee Experience
4. Data
5. Change
6. Analytics
7. Diversity
8. Productivity
9. Automation
10. Well-Being

At this point, nobody in the world saw or predicted the impact COVID would have.

My New Hot Topics in Leadership for 2020

What would the list of Hot Topics in Leadership look like today? Here is what I am hearing from clients and leaders everyday:

1. Engaging Remote Workers – Office-type workers, working remotely for as long as we have, has created a situation where the basic cultural norms of connection and belonging are missing. Employees are struggling with not having a sense of ‘belonging’ and feeling a lack of a ‘cause’ that they are working towards.
2. Physical Well-Being of Employees – With COVID on the rise again in virtually every corner of the planet, leaders are struggling with how to keep employees safe while containing a potential outbreaks within groups of employees who are still on the job, and keeping the business going.
3. Mental Health of Employees – As COVID drags on and a scalable vaccination solution is still a ways away, the stress and strain is causing record numbers of cases of what they are calling “COVID related depression and anxiety”.
4. Productivity – The conversation about how productive are employees working from home has risen. My belief… results over effort. Data is now coming in saying that remote workers are more productive, working longer hours, handling more phone calls and doing more email. Leaders with the mindset of ‘if I can’t see my people, then they are not working,’ need to adjust the focus their lenses.
5. Diversity – Often called the “2nd Pandemic,” human and employee rights has never been more front and center (thankfully). Leaders everywhere are waking up to the fact that the members of their teams are vital to the success of the business (remember people are the only asset on the books that appreciate in value). If you are a leader that judges people based on the colour of their skin, religion, gender, ethnicity, education, etc., your days are numbered.
6. Political Instability – We put a lot of faith in our political leaders. Maybe too much faith. It would nice that during these times of crisis, politicians actually do the right things and put the people they are supposedly serving… first.
7. Working Capital – With record numbers of businesses closing their doors, there is still a long, long list of companies struggling to keep their doors open.
8. Strategy – Creating clarity and focus around direction has never been more important. In times of crisis or uncertainty, people need to know there is a plan, and what their role is in the plan. Clarity of direction brings stability and confidence, which in turn helps to bring to people an elevated level of purpose.
9. Uncertainty – It would be nice if change and transition was the big concern. I am sure billions of people would be OK with that. The uncertainty of the now over-used buzz phrase ‘The New Normal’ would have some understanding. It doesn’t. Leaders need to groove with ambiguity more than ever and be OK with not knowing what normal looks like.
10. All other things COVID related that would not fit in a ‘TOP 10’ list.

Oh how things have changed!

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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