There is no sugar-coating it – the business world has well and truly been rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some businesses have had to close their doors for good, others can’t find enough staff to even open their doors or can’t operate due to Government-mandated lockdowns. In all, it has been a hard and gruelling past couple of years for businesses and business owners.

Times are changing and I truly believe that the business world won’t go back to the way it once was before the pandemic. Too much has happened, and we have already begun to adapt to the changes in order to face the future challenges that may lie ahead. There’s no going back and there are no cutting corners, if you want to make your mark in the world of leadership.

While this may be a scary thought for a lot of people, there are leaders out there who are embracing change and these new ways of thinking. Because if you want to be a leader in today’s society and at the forefront of change, you must forge new leadership trends, change how you run your business, treat coworkers and colleagues with kindness and embrace new ways of leading. When it comes to leadership trends to watch in 2022, we are already seeing a shift to leadership styles such as empathy and kindness.

The pandemic has proved to be a testing time for leaders and business owners. But even now we have people across the world who are in the midst of starting up their own start-up business to make some much-needed cash or they have a brilliant idea that they want to share with the world.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, as at June 30 2021 there were 2,402,254 actively trading businesses in the Australian economy.

 In 2020-21 there was a:

• 3.8%, or 87,806, increase in the number of businesses.
• 15.8% entry rate, with 365,480 entries.
• 12.0% exit rate, with 277,674 exits.

I’ve previously mentioned that we will also be seeing an increase in start-up businesses this year. According to a recent QuickBooks’ New Business Insights Report, 17 million new businesses are expected to be launched in 2022. In the same report, more than half (57%) of surveyed respondents said they dream of owning their own business “to be my own boss” and “to have more control over my future” as their leading motivations for starting a business. Fifty percent of respondents said they’ve spent more with small businesses during the pandemic.

So, what are the top five leadership trends to watch for in 2022.

1. Kindness and Empathy – little acts of kindness on a daily basis can change the world. Even if it’s just a “good morning” to your coworker or even take a minute to say a kind word to your employee like “great job!” Kindness is also fast becoming one of the top five leadership trends to watch out for. The most successful leaders treat their employees with kindness because this leaders to higher morale, happier employees, a positive workplace environment and makes the business a more attractive place to work. Furthermore, as a leader, having empathy for those around you can have powerful results for your business, you and your employees, especially at a time when stress is at an all-time high. According to research by Catalyst, 76% of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged compared with only 32% who experienced less empathy. The same report states When people reported their leaders were empathetic, they were more likely to report they were able to be innovative—61% of employees compared to only 13% of employees with less empathetic leaders.
2. Building a positive work environment – No one likes working in a stressful and toxic environment. By creating a happy and positive workplace for staff, employee morale increases, and work performances rise. With more and more employees opting to work from home, it’s important to make the office environment a place they will actually enjoy spending their days at.
3. Invest in development of employees and have a purpose – Taking an active interest in the development of your employees means more productivity and skilled and experienced workers on your team. Employees will feel more satisfied at the office and won’t want to look for other opportunities elsewhere. When employees have access to training and the right tools, they will want to contribute to your company’s growth. Having a purpose will also drive your vision and inspire your employees to do great things.
4. Creativity – As a leader, it’s important to think outside the box and having creativity is one of the most important traits of a modern-day leader. You should embrace change as well as new ideas that could help your business grow even larger. Creativity improves workplace confidence and morale. Leaders who are creative are self-aware, authentic and passionate.
5. Stronger workplace cultures and values – Company culture is the tacit social order of an organisation that is made up of and shapes behaviours and attitudes within the workplace environment. Currently, there is a huge war for talent, experience, and skills out there so it’s important that a company is culturally aligned with its hybrid employees’ values and beliefs. If leaders are to retain and attract employees, having a stronger workplace culture is essential.

Want to be outstanding in 2022 – contact us at hello@leadershiphq.com.au