The ability to effectively respond to a crisis or to lead change have long been considered leadership imperatives. However, change on the scale that organizations now face, combined with the strains of a continued global crisis, have many reconsidering their leadership needs.
According to a Learning and Development Roundtable study from Gartner, 60% of new managers underperform during their first two years, driving performance gaps and employee turnover across the entire frontline. This is dismal news for organizations. The good news, however, is that when your frontline managers are equipped with the leadership tools, training, and development needed to succeed this risk can be avoided.
Cultivating a diverse workforce is important and this notion is supported by economic trends and research. With many Atlantic Canadian regions experiencing population decline and the impact of the ‘brain drain’, as newly minted graduates head west, the topic of enhancing diversity within our organizations has moved to the forefront of talent management conversations.
There comes a time in every leader's career when they must let an employee go. It could be the result of restructuring or that the individual is no longer the right fit for the business needs. Whatever the reason, planning for a termination meeting can cause anxiety and loss of sleep for even the most experienced leaders. What should you say, or not say? How will the employee receiving the news react? How will you handle the transition of the employee’s responsibilities? What security precautions do you need to take?
As we head into Pride celebrations, many employers are motivated to reflect on their own journey towards a more diverse and inclusive workforce and their support of the LGBTQ2+ community.
This past year has been an unprecedented and unpredictable time for both individuals and organizations alike. Lockdowns around the world have forced leaders to scale back or shut down operations and reduce or restructure their workforce. Whatever the reason, letting an employee go is never easy, and if handled poorly, could have significant negative impacts on an organization including brand reputation, litigation, and the morale of remaining employees. It is crucial that companies have a career transition strategy during an employee departure.
Each day at KBRS and Meridia, we are reminded of the abundance of outstanding women who – through their leadership, contributions, and accomplishments –strengthen communities and organizations at every level.
We also recognize that, despite the great strides that have been made toward greater gender balance there is still much further to go.
While we will all be grateful to have 2020 behind us, as business and community leaders, we have an opportunity early in 2021 to pause, reflect on lessons learned, and think about how we may want to shape the definition and influence of our leadership going forward.
