The Moment We’re Living In
For the first time I can remember, the future doesn’t look in any way predictable.
Right now we have leaders across the globe pushing the boundaries of what powerful people can get away with. We’ve got citizens in developed countries feeling scared for their safety, both from their own leaders and from foreign forces. That’s not something we’re used to because it doesn’t happen to us, does it?
We’ve got jobs in every sector at risk, with career paths that may have seemed clear just a few years ago, potentially going up in smoke due to recent advances in technology, AI being adopted, and essentially a computer putting you out of a job.
And if you turn on the news today, you’ll struggle to find a single story that doesn’t instill fear or sadness or a sense of helplessness into you.
What People Actually Need Right Now
Let’s be clear – it’s not a problem that can be fixed with compensation. It’s not about the package you offer, health insurance or a bonus.
Employees right now need to feel valued.
They need to feel seen.
They need to feel understood.
They need to feel cared for and protected by their employers.
Leadership Is Being Tested
Right now, a lot of leaders of organizations are failing to show leadership in a way that maybe they haven’t had to in a while.
Maybe they’ve forgotten how to, maybe they’ve forgotten it’s important, or maybe they’ve never had to before.
It can’t all be about making profit. It can’t all be about growth. It can’t all be about efficiency or finding the latest way to build an AI tool into your workflow to save time.
We need leaders in business right now to set the tone and act like leaders of people, connect with team members and show them that there’s someone there actually looking out for them, not looking to replace them as soon as a cheaper option comes along.
I get the feeling that right now, a lot of leaders are feeling this, but don’t know how to support their teams.
You look around and it’s just so visible at the moment that employees feel lost, they feel undervalued, they feel weighed down by the world right now.
How Did We Get Here?
A lot of things have conspired to get us to this place, and I’m not going to provide an exhaustive list here, but…
The growing gig economy over the past five to 10 years hasn’t really helped, with globalization playing a part.
There’s been a race to the bottom in terms of cost and sometimes quality too. If something requiring true craft or expertise might be expensive, hey – why not outsource it to another country where labor is cheaper? Who cares if it takes a little bit longer to get there or we have to pay them three times to do the same thing? And, you know, we don’t need to treat them like staff members who we’re supposed to care about because they’re not here in the office with us. They’re elsewhere.
Have we forgotten our humanity? Have we forgotten that people won’t be at their best if they feel at risk or threatened, or if they feel replaceable? Have we forgotten that everyone needs to have purpose and needs to feel part of something bigger?
Or have we moved to a point where people are scared that they have to be in the office, they can’t be sick, they can’t use your PTO for doctor’s appointments. And yes, it is totally acceptable for us to contact you out of hours, in the evenings, on the weekends, or even while you’re on vacation, because, hey, this is your job.
Yet, everybody that has a job will still go to work, will still show up, will still clock in, will still do what’s asked of them. All while the leaders of the businesses are not even attempting to hide the fact that they’re looking to cut costs and replace you with AI or the latest tool that can automate your job away.
A Defining Moment for Leaders
My feeling is that this is truly a defining moment in the world, in Western society, in business.
I think this is a time that will be remembered for when leaders really got to the point where they had completely forgotten what their contribution to society is all about.
Maybe it’s late stage capitalism. Maybe it’s just a phase. Maybe it’s the excitement of being more efficient and more profitable with less effort.
I don’t want to believe that we’re just inherently greedy and lazy at our core. But right now, that’s what it seems like.
A Call to Lead Like Humans Again
For those of you that are leaders of people right now, think about what you could be doing differently.
Think about every member of your team that might be living in fear that they’re either going to get laid off or replaced, or that the cost of living has got to a point where their current job can’t enable them to keep a roof over their head and feed their family.
Think about anyone that’s maybe living scared in their own home and the country that they reside in because of political decisions and shifts in policy.
Think about the impact that ideas of nationalism and fascism might be having on a significant proportion of your workforce who are scared for themselves, their children, their parents and their families.
Think about this the next time you’re running a team meeting, giving somebody feedback, setting out deliverables, communicating deadlines or demanding more from someone.
Because right now, what we need is not someone breathing down our necks and demanding more.
We need leaders who see their people.
We need leaders who understand what their teams are carrying.
We need leaders who show up with humanity.
True leaders need to take this opportunity to show what leadership is actually for.
