Leading In the Digital World and the Five Daily Leadership Habits to Adopt
The digital revolution gained momentous traction and took over the world before we quite knew what was going on. The first freely programmable computer came into play in the late 1930s, but it wasn’t until 1980 that the digital revolution really started picking up and making waves. Soon nearly every single household had a computer and before we knew it was later in the 20th century and we saw a shift from mechanical and analogue electronic technology to digital electronics.
Today, you can’t walk down the street without seeing someone with an iPhone in their hands, scrolling through their Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, sending an email, watching the latest viral video on Tik Tok or YouTube or texting a friend. The way we communicate with our friends, family, colleagues and people all over the world is changing and the pace of digital transformation is accelerating. More and more business owners are using social media platforms, as well as their websites, to plug their goods and services to customers and clientele.
According to Statista there are 3.78 billion social media users worldwide in 2021 and that number is only going to grow. This is about 48 percent of the current world population.
It can be challenging for some leaders to know what to do when it comes to leading their team members in the digital age. The world is changing rapidly, and people need to know who is leading them. It’s essential that leaders adapt to new ways of communicating because this will help them be on the same page as their team members and appeal to a younger demographic and attract skilled job-seekers fresh out of university.
Taking the time to self-care and putting together a daily routine can help leaders to maintain their own health and wellbeing, while at the same time staying focused on their purpose, goals, maintain focus and encourage productivity throughout the day. It’s important that leaders are able to adapt to changing environments and be flexible when it comes to their team members in order to thrive in today’s digital landscape.
This is why I have written up the below list of habits that leaders should incorporate into their daily routines in order to help them become better leaders, while at the same time navigating through social media.
- Stop, Step Away from the Phone and Take a Breather
While social media has given us the ability to stay in contact with family and friends and new ways to reach customers and job seekers, social media can also feed off negative emotions and leave us feeling down. That’s why it pays to put the phone down for a moment, reassess your goals for the day, find out what’s happening in the office and see if there are any issues that need to be addressed.
- Reflect on Your Day
Every day is a new day and it’s important to take the time to reflect on your day. What could you have done better? What have you learnt? Do you need to be kinder to those around you? Did you thank your team members for the amazing job they are doing? Did you achieve your goals today? What will your goals be tomorrow?
- Check In on Your Team Members
Everyone is dealing with work and life situations and in truth we never really know what another person is going through. A good leader takes note of his or her team members every day, they know their strengths and they know their lunch habits. Make sure your office door is always open and make a time each week for a staff meeting or individual meetings to check up on their progress and see if there are any issues that need resolving.
- Be Kind to Yourself
We all have those moments of self-doubt, maybe you didn’t achieve one of your goals for the day or it’s raining and you don’t feel in the mood to be at work today. Make sure from the moment you wake up that you are kind to yourself, because if you go to work feeling miserable, your team members will also feel that way too and they may not be as productive as usual. Start the day off with a kind mantra, because today will be a GREAT day!
- Embrace New Technology
It can be hard to keep up with all the new technology, mobile applications or social media platforms making the news on a daily basis. Make sure you are open minded when it comes to new technology, because it means simpler forms of communication between you and your team members. Take some time to do some research about which technology will benefit your business, team members, your customers or yourself. The Harvard Business Review explained the concept of business owners and leaders investing in new technology beautifully in their recent article – Convincing Your Company Leaders to Invest In New Technology. You can read more here: Convincing Your Company Leaders to Invest in New Technology (hbr.org)
“For business owners and leaders tasked with driving digital strategy, it is their perception of risk that is more impactful on success than anything else. Deciding to incorporate digital tools or infrastructure can be daunting because of the unknown it represents, but shying away from the process can be a far riskier path. By understanding the psychological barriers behind digital decision-making, industry stakeholders can and should encourage technology adoption in small and medium-sized businesses in doing so, they will strengthen the backbone of the global economy.”
Leadership Wrap Up:
From the paddock to the catwalk, women are disrupting the Australian cotton industry with a focus on sustainability and productivity. Read more here: Female cotton industry leaders lead charge for more sustainable industry – ABC News
Some actions companies can take to become climate leaders. Read more here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/deloitte/2022/01/18/actions-companies-can-take-to-become-climate-leaders/?sh=121750fb72dd
How 15 leaders are changing the world through trust: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/01/how-15-leaders-are-changing-the-world-through-trust/ Most Australian business leaders are more confident about their growth prospects in 2022 than 2021, new research shows : Most Australian business leaders are more confident about their growth prospects in 2022 than 2021, new research shows (msn.com)
By Sonia McDonald
Founder and Managing Director of Leadership HQ and McDonald Inc. Leadership coach, entrepreneur, CEO and author.
Sonia McDonald is changing the face of leadership across the globe. She believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, and is known for her mantra ‘Just Lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her transformational coaching, leadership training programs and cultural transformation for organisations and encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped thousands of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others.
Sonia is a founder and CEO of McDonald Inc., LeadershipHQ and Global Outstanding Leadership Awards and the newly launched Courage Conference. For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of leadership and she is beyond committed to her mission around building a world of great leaders.
She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realise what it takes to be a truly great leader. She has been recognised by Richtopia as One of the Top 250 Influential Women across the Globe and Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs.
Sonia has an ability to speak bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, personal and career challenges in a way which resonates with her audience. She is a leading coach, an award-winning published author of newly released First Comes Courage, Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It! and has become an in-demand keynote speaker on leadership, kindness and courage.
Sonia has become recognised for her commentary around the topic of leadership, kindness, empathy and courage as well as building outstanding leadership across the Globe.