IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP:
CHALLENGES, BARRIERS, and EMERGING ISSUES
By Nadene Joy
CEO of Nadene Joy Consulting Inc.
Chair/Founder of The Global Lead 2 Impact Summit
Featured in USA TODAY
The statement “leadership is lonely at the top” poses its own distinct challenges as leadership, done well, should never be lonely. In fact it is quite the contrary, where research tells us that the most effective leaders are in fact those who are highly engaged with others. Leaders are constantly presented with scenarios that challenge them and their abilities regardless of age, country of origin or culture. These challenges that are faced are an incitation to rise to another higher level to become the best most authentic version of yourself possible and also, as a leader, help others do the same. These challenges are most times necessary to test and refine yourself in the process and to show that you can accomplish something that may have seemed incredibly difficult or perhaps even impossible or “the unthinkable” to many. This article aims to describe the many ever increasing fluid challenges, barriers and pressing emerging issues a leader faces, and suggests some ways in which leaders can improve upon their current practices and benefit from them in the near and distant future fo the betterment of themselves and their teams .
From my personal experience as a top global leader, I can confidently say that it’s essential to first accept the unwritten truth that “perfection” is simply an illusion which is unattainable and is the wrong thing to try to pursue as your centralized focus as a leader. Do not take any form of criticism personally and learn to completely let go, without judgement, of the need and worry about being right all the time. Instead of perfectionism, aim for “doing your very best” in whatever you pursue as the old saying goes “how you do one thing, is how you do everything.” Be honest, consistent, compassionate and utilize the theory of adaptive communication which is “the ability to recognize individual differences in personality and communication and adapt your approach accordingly,” and stay intently focused at all times on the “real authentic person behind the “title.”
Leadership Challenges and Successful Strategies to Thrive as a Leader
As leaders it is inevitable that role comes with many feats and challenges that are faced globally across the board with leaders regardless of title—whether you are a CEO, VP, mayor of a community, teacher of a classroom or president of a nation these are some of the top challenges faced universally today with almost everyone as we all are leaders who has the ability to positively impact lives.
Below you will find a few of the top challenges faced by leaders. By knowing and creating awareness around these challenges it moves and motivates us to take action to adapt our behaviours for the good of all starting within ourselves first.
In a Q4 2020 Vistage CEO Confidence Index, CEOs were asked what is the most significant leadership challenge they are facing as they looked to adjust to life during the pandemic and beyond. Overwhelmingly, the response was morale and burnout. Business leaders and employees alike are experiencing extreme fatigue from excessive video conferencing meetings, in isolation, and the professional, personal, and family stress of the pandemic lifestyle. Suggestions to combat this would be to focus on short-term vs long-term goals, reinforce company values to improve culture on a regular basis, add adventure and creative ways to change up your routine each week, and focus on the vision and purpose of the task at hand and entire organization or within the targeted community.
Other challenges leaders face are leading change in a rapid technological advancing world, developing others and handling differences in perspectives based on wide age gaps and old outdated styles and patterns of relating with others, providing consistent inspiration, feedback and appreciation, lack of alignment with what is said vs actions that are taken to get the job done, lack of clear vision, poor execution strategies, fear of firing or letting go that which no longer best serves the good of all, lack of clear vision and purpose, difficulty managing a team, creating a positive supportive culture, dealing with “imposture syndrome,” and lack of accountability.
One of the biggest challenges faced by leaders irregardless of time, dimension, or geographical space in my personal opinion is the lack of communication, lack of authenticity and miscommunication. This is all a part of creating a healthy culture dynamic within your organization which is a challenge to focus on diligently and master in its own right. The complexities of today’s business world and economies require leaders to be able to communicate effectively and just as important, authentically and compassionately, on multiple levels. Communication and having the courage to be real and vulnerable with others about your own challenges helps build trust which is the foundation of all relationships and has been proven to lead to astronomical transformation within individuals and the unprecedented growth within corporations, communities and nations as a whole. It all starts with the changes you, as a leader, choose to make and take action upon as Boon Pickens so relevantly stated “ A plan without action is not a plan. It’s a speech.
Pertinent Barriers to Great Leadership
In order to more effectively empower others it is imperative to discuss the main barriers leaders face in successfully going from where they are to where they aspire to be. A few of the most pertinent leadership barriers are insecurity and lack of confidence, lack of trust, personal involvement, refusing help, not letting others on your team do their job, not asking for the right things, lack of functional credibility, ignoring the usefulness of mistakes and lessons learned, believing it can’t happen to you, not enough courage to let go of yesterday's tools, and lack of focus on personal development and growth from within first as a top priority.
The title of a recent article in Fox Business reads: “Every Leader’s Achilles Heel.” The subject? Allowing oneself to get too involved in projects and/or with your employees. This is otherwise known as micromanaging others and will backfire in the long term is implemented regularly. The more freedom you allow others to utilize their gifts and be creative in solutions the better off everyone is.
Fears is another major barrier leaders constantly face. Fear is a natural emotion, however, it becomes an issue when you allow yourself to be carried to a place where you become so fearful of a potential risk that you do everything to avoid it or become paralyzed in your tracks. This is known as “risk aversion,” and can be very detrimental to a leader at any level or position.
This next barrier is a new word I only just recently came to discover. Hubris, otherwise known as extreme pride, “is a personality element that many people assume executives “just have.” It’s important to reiterate that past performance is no indication of future results..
Lastly, Inc. magazine interviewed a top executive leader who stated: “Only you can control self-indulgence. The more successful you become, people won’t necessarily call you out. So, I hired a professional coach because then you’re hiring someone to tell you [the cold sometimes hard to hear truth.]” Look at mentorship from a new perspective snd not that it makes you weak, but rather it helps to build your character, intellect and makes you a stronger more proficient leader. Did you know the famous NBA player Michael Jordan has five coaches, one expert for each area of his life. This is how he became one of the greatest basketball legends alone today and how we too are able become the best we can be as a leader. You are not expected to do this on your own.
The purpose of mentioning these barriers and shortcoming here today is to create awareness first of all that they exist so that you can begin to take steps forward to consistently work on them. Nobody is perfect nor are you expected to be but that doesn’t mean you should give up on personal development and improvement, it means quite the opposite and contrary to work on yourself first all the more. As this is where real lasting impactful change begins. Hopefully these tools will help you become the best leader and executive you can be so that you can in return give your team, your business, your community, your family and the world the best of you.
Lofty Emerging Issues in Leadership
There have always been certain issues that have been focused upon with leaders over the course of history, however here we will only scratch the surface of a few emerging issue to note leaders are facing on a much greater level and depth today then ever before.
Some of the top issues that have emerged from leadership research that warrants further discussion here includes emotional intelligence, social marketing, demographic dissonance and generational differences within organizations ie/ Gen Z), trust, virtual teams/hiring and employee engagement, women leaders, diversity, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, purpose/vision and mission, and transformational and servant leadership.
For the scope of this article we will not have the capacity to revisit each of the above emerging issues in depth. However, it is highly encouraged to be proactive in learning more about each one of them listed above. It is only when we take action that real change takes place which begins with the first person you see every morning in the mirror. It is imperative as leaders we stand together and strong as we can do more together then we can apart. As the iconic legendary Les Brown states: “Live life to your fullest and die empty. Make every day and your life count and don’t take this time you have for granted.” As a leader, you all have a God-given purpose and when you fear stepping into this place you are depriving not only yourself but everyone around you of greatness. Never forget that the “speed of the leader is the speed of the group—when a fish dies.... it stinks at the head first.” “Most people live out of there MEMORY as opposed to their IMAGINATION— Einstein once said that imagination is the preview of what’s to come in your life!!” As a leader, once you give yourself permission to show up completely and the opportunity to stretch yourself with no limits, you’ll find out that you can do so much more than you could have ever imagined! I believe everything matters and what we choose to do today is simply “the seed or internal fuel and motivation” that we consciously plant within ourselves and in others through the power of our positive thoughts and creative imagination, encouraging words we speak and/or actions performed to serve. Over time, the seed begins to grow when we consistently sow, water and tend to the deeper needs of ourselves internally first and then outwardly externally towards others. This process, over time, builds positive satisfying relationships and authentic human connections which is at the foundation and heart of all interactions as a leader, in business and in life.
Nadene Joy is a top advisor, executive leadership strategist and global mindset coach who helps leaders who are feeling anxious and frustrated achieve their goals and wildest dreams in business and in life. She is the CEO of Nadene Joy Consulting Inc., a Certified CMHA Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, NLP Practitioner, top executive leader, speaker, and international bestselling author. Nadene is also a director and advisor on various local and international boards including Global Ambassador with The Commonwealth Entrepreneur Club (CEC) and is on the advisory board council with Coaching Suicide Awareness (CSA).
Nadene Joy also has been awarded several achievements of excellence throughout her career and is the recipient of the prestigious 2021 International Women of Substance Award from The St. Mother Theresa University in India.
Nadene Joy is a member of The International Society for Female Professionals, Chair/Founder of The Global Lead 2 Impact Summit and has been featured in media outlets including USA TODAY, CBC, iheartradio in NYC, and NBC. She is also the author of “Uncover Your Purpose: Heal and Share Your Gifts With the World” and “Love is...A Guide to the Power of Love,” and is the co-author of “Cracking The Rich Code Vol. 4” with Kevin Harrington hit star of the TV Show, SharkTank and business icon, Jim Britt.
Nadene Joy is passionate about being an impactful leader, mother to 4 beautiful children and friend who makes a positive difference in our world through taking bold action in sharing her authentic wisdom, experiences, God-given gifts, and serving others with kindness by bringing hope, love, joy, purpose, inspiration, transformation and love to all she encounters. http://linkedin.com/in/nadenejoy Nadene@NadeneJoy.com
free gift offer included to receive the first chapter of the book by Nadene Joy “Love is...A Guide to The Power of Love”
