Learning to lead in a changed world

Leadership development is becoming increasingly important for organisations seeking to gain competitive advantage in their industries as well as cope with a rapidly changing business environment.

"Organisations returning to the workplace and the office situation are finding that it's not as quite as simple as let's go in and turn the lights back on," says Helen Brophy, director of executive development at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. "Everything has changed, and questions are being asked of leadership and its role in the transition."

That transition is made all the more complex by the fact that it is not a question of reverting to the way things were before the first lockdown. “The added flexibility and the move to new ways of working have brought some really positive things. Organisations want to retain what has been learned and has been most valuable at the same time as getting back to work. Different organisations are taking different approaches.”

This presents difficulties for leaders. “There is no right or wrong course,” she says. “Each situation is specific to the individual business and the people in it. The age profile of the leadership team is a major factor. We have heard a lot of older leaders saying they need to get their people back into the office as they can’t oversee them properly if they are not in the workplace.

“On the other hand, younger leaders are thinking more about work-life balance and the opportunities for people to live in different places with lower costs,” Brophy continues. “Leadership is at a fascinating juncture. The next six months are going to be really, really interesting. It’s going to take a lot of effort to navigate the pathway back into the workplace and decide on the right balance. It won’t be nine to five anymore and this will be new for a lot of organisations. They have to find a way through where the business doesn’t suffer.”

Work-life balance

That means finding the right solution for their employees. “They want to retain talent and not lose people during the move back,” she adds. “That will mean delivering more work-life balance in many instances, but people have different needs. Some people might feel they are being forced back into the office while others are dying to get back in.”

Leaders have never had to deal with a situation like that before. “Huge change is being experienced by leaders in organisations and they don’t have the knowledge to deal with it,” she adds. “Leaders don’t have all the answers. They have to harness the collective wisdom of those around them and empower everyone to make a contribution. They need to have a discussion about their own role in their organisation and ensure their priorities align with those of the business.

“This brings it back to the fact that leadership is a constant learning process. There is never a stage where you can say that’s it. The landscape shifts all the time. Leaders are continually facing new challenges which are coming at an ever faster pace.”

That’s where leadership development and the programmes offered by Smurfit Executive Development come in. “Our programmes give leaders a chance to step back and gain new insights into their changing circumstances. They can apply those insights to their organisation and their role. There has never been a greater need for that. A core characteristic of our programmes is a bias for action with our priority being that all learning is immediately implementable. As part of our mission, we offer coaching, mentoring and published thought leadership.”

Diversity is another hallmark of Smurfit programmes. “Our courses attract accomplished professionals from around the world, working in international, indigenous, governmental and non-profit sectors,” she says. “Time and time again we are told that personal relationships established here have developed into lifelong professional opportunities and friendships.”

Those personal engagements are an important component of the programmes. “Participants get time to mix with their peers, to challenge themselves, get new ideas and see how other organisations are dealing with issues. That’s at the heart of leadership development. It’s about enhancing the ability of the organisation and the people around them to perform at their best.”

Diploma

EY partner Vickie Wall recently completed the UCD Smurfit School diploma in corporate governance. "The people on the course came from very varied backgrounds," she notes. "There were people from professional services organisations. There were people from public sector bodies who brought some really interesting perspectives on the different stakeholder groups they deal with and the ways they have to operate. There was also a number of CEOs with their own business who may have been thinking about moving into a chairman's role. There were also some individuals from investment houses, and they also brought an interesting perspective on what's going on."

Another topical area covered by the course is the skills directors need to deal with changing times. “You need a different type of person to lead in new times and deal with such a rapid pace of change. Directors need resilience and agility, an ability to reflect and bring different perspectives to the board. They also need to be able to challenge.”

“Our priority is to ensure that what people are learning is relevant and applicable to their organisations and circumstances,” Brophy concludes. “That means the programmes are constantly evolving and changing. Cutting-edge programmes never stand still and their content is evolving all the time. Leadership is an element of every programme in our portfolio is at the core of everything we do. It’s about helping executives become better leaders and that’s never been more important.”