There’s never been a more challenging time to be a leader than right now.
Between social media, an increased push for transparency, and a stronger voice for employees, today’s leaders are more in the spotlight than ever before. It’s never been harder to be a leader.
That spotlight can hold them accountable and push them towards progress, but it can also be crushing and lead to overwhelming stress if not managed properly.
“The leader of today has a lot of people looking at him or her. This will be exponentially the case in a world that is becoming increasingly uncertain,” said Tim Ryan, U.S. chairman and senior partner of PwC. “I’ve seen many people hit a ceiling in their career because they couldn’t get over the number of critics they had and what those critics were saying about them.”
Employees and customers look to leaders as examples. They are the public face of the company and now have many opportunities through the internet and social media to show their true selves and build a presence. Many CEOs are household names, and their actions are noticed—for good and bad. What people expect of leaders is changing and increasing, and they have to be in the public eye to be successful. In today’s world, everything a leader does is scrutinized and can be shared online for the world to see. That’s tremendous pressure for making even the smallest decisions.
Employees want to work for organizations that align with their personal values and know that their leaders are having a positive impact on the world. They care about leaders taking a stand and making a difference.
The spotlight and its scrutiny will only increase in the future, which means that leaders must build resilience and manage their stress levels while at the same time not being scared to take a stance on societal, cultural, and business issues.
Here are four ways to deal with the spotlight:
Find Your Voice
People can see through leaders who aren’t real or authentic. The best leaders find their voice to deliver clear and consistent messages. One of the worst things a leader in the public eye can do is appear flaky or inconsistent. Find your voice, embrace it, and share your message clearly and personally.
Leaders have to be well-rounded in their communication skills and be able to speak publicly, share messages with their employees, and write articles and posts. Find a channel that best matches your communication style and make it your main outlet. When you feel comfortable, your voice will come through better.
Build Resilience
Leaders must come to terms with the fact that they will never please everyone. No matter what they do, someone will always be offended or find fault. Instead of taking things personally, leaders must build resilience and a hard skin.
Tim Ryan told me this: “The reality is that being able to handle the spotlight is a skill that is going to become more important. You will never please everybody, but you must always listen to people’s views without unraveling, be able to communicate effectively, course correct as needed, and keep moving forward.”
Be Vulnerable
Leaders are expected to be authentic, but they aren’t expected to be clones of each other. One of the best ways to build real connections and show authenticity is to be vulnerable. Researchers found that truly effective leaders share their own vulnerabilities and empathize with their employees. Effective leaders trust their gut and aren’t afraid to express things that make them truly unique. Vulnerable leaders aren’t afraid to admit when they don’t know something. They know how to listen and learn from the people around them instead of getting into trouble because they think they know everything.
Being vulnerable builds connection and shows that the leader is real, which builds loyalty from employees and customers and lessens the notion that leaders need to be perfect. When people feel connected to a vulnerable leader, they are more likely to show grace and be quick to forgive if the leader makes a mistake.
Have a Strong Support System
It can get lonely at the top, especially for leaders who are alone in the public eye. Leaders need to build a strong support system both personally and professionally to lift them up when the public pressure gets too strong. Having people by your side and who truly understand you can be a source of comfort and a major stress relief. A strong support system provides clarity during stressful times and can help a leader step outside their role for a moment to gain perspective.
Today’s leaders are in the spotlight, and will only increase in coming years. To thrive in the spotlight and best represent your company, practice authenticity, resilience, and stress management now.
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