Act as an effective leadership team more than Scholz & Co.

Acting more effectively than Scholz & Co as a leadership team

March 21, 2024 – "They are primarily preoccupied with themselves." This is the feeling many people currently have regarding the federal government. As a result, they turn their backs on it. The same fate threatens companies.

In uncertain times, many people long for "strong leadership" – a leadership that gives them support and orientation, so that they do not lose confidence despite all adversities. A leadership team can only convey this feeling to people if it is visibly guided by its actions

• by a shared vision and

• founded on a common set of values.

Why team spirit in the leadership team is so important

Many citizens currently miss this team spirit in our government. Instead, they are constantly witnessing disputes within the traffic light coalition. And hardly is one dispute seemingly resolved when the next follows.

Trust in leadership only arises when a top team truly acts as a team; that is, when its members, despite all differences of opinion,

• feel a mutual appreciation and

• the effort to overcome challenges together,

is sensed.

This kind of team spirit is also important in companies – regardless of how intense discussions may be when the top team meets behind closed doors; there can be a lot of tension, for example, when opinions diverge on important strategic questions.

Focusing as a team on common values and goals

Most business leaders are aware of this. One CEO responded when I asked him some time ago how he keeps his organization together despite a significant need for change: "By reminding ourselves in the top team, during conflicts, what our shared values and goals are, and always acting as a united front externally."

A lack of team spirit in the leadership team has consequences

This kind of cohesion is currently missing in our political leadership. And that has consequences. The poll numbers for Olaf Scholz & Co continue to plummet, while the AfD is gaining strength. There is increasing debate: How long will the coalition last? Not ideal conditions to enact a turning point!

Studies show: People are attracted to positivity. Therefore, when

• conflicts that lead to emotional injuries and

• attempts to profile oneself at the expense of others,

poison the atmosphere, it becomes extremely difficult for a leadership team to inspire people and win them as allies.

If a leadership team does not exhibit solidarity, it cannot expect such behavior from the "rank and file". And if it does not exude the confidence of "we will achieve our goal if...", it should not expect the "rank and file" to take up the shovel to effect the necessary changes.

Taking time for people as a leader

Furthermore: If those affected feel like "our leadership is primarily preoccupied with itself", then they almost automatically develop the feeling that those at the top no longer perceive our needs – regardless of how often the responsible parties sit in the evenings, for example, as politicians in talk shows to explain their decisions and actions to citizens.

In addition, leadership teams, in which decision-making is difficult (also because the necessary mutual trust is lacking), tend to react impulsively. This means that they mainly govern or lead with directives.

Avoiding unnecessary resistance as a leadership team

This creates a feeling among people who value their personal autonomy: help, my freedom and self-determination are threatened. Therefore, they react with resistance. This phenomenon, which psychologists refer to as reactance, has been observed not only during the Corona period but also in the debate over the installation of heat pumps. Many citizens felt: "The politicians are interfering too much in our lives; they are limiting our freedom." So, they rebelled more or less openly.

Similar problems currently threaten many companies, for example, when it comes to the question of AI usage in their organization – also a topic where many employees feel threatened not only in their right to self-determination but even existentially. Therefore, there is also the danger that companies will encounter significant acceptance problems, provided their executives do not have an open ear for the concerns of employees. This must be avoided.

Conclusion: The quality of leadership is crucial

Generally, it holds true: How willing people are to change largely depends on the quality of their leadership. If they feel that their needs are perceived and taken seriously and are factored into decisions, they also develop trust in their leadership and its initiatives.

Accordingly, an important leadership style is one that

• seeks dialogue with those affected,

• clearly aligns with shared values,

• involves employees or individuals as participants, and

• supports them in acquiring new skills and practicing new behaviors.

For only with such a leadership style can the challenges of our time be truly mastered; among other things, because then those affected feel, "We are all in the same boat" and are a team or a community of fate.

Author: Barbara Liebermeister

About the Author:
Barbara Liebermeister is the founder and director of the Institute for Leadership Culture in the Digital Age (IFIDZ) – and a thought leader when it comes to modern leadership. With the concept Alpha Intelligence® she summarizes the key intelligences of successful leaders in the digital transformation: human, effective, and future-proof.

As a long-time manager, consultant, and coach, she brings experience from practice and helps companies to rethink their leadership culture – scientifically grounded, individualized, and with a clear focus on what really works. Whether as an author of several professional books, a speaker on stages, or a lecturer at renowned universities such as RWTH Aachen, Hochschule Kempten, and many more – Barbara combines solid knowledge with a great deal of personality.

She is a mentor at Hessian universities, was nominated for the #digitalfemaleleader award, and received the Wolfgang Heilmann Prize with her team for the digital leadership analysis tool LEADT. Her motivation: to make leadership more human and at the same time resilient for the future.