Leadership Connected: The changing role of leadership

Schouten Global, an international consultancy that focuses on human capital development, has launched a large research programme into the effects of leadership on employee engagement. A survey has been opened for input – professionals across organisational ranks are invited to participate, with the results set to be released in the summer.

Rapid changes to the business ecosystem, as disruptive technologies and new business models take hold, as well as changes to employment market demographics, as millennials become the dominant group, may see radical changes to what makes for effective leadership. Coupled with growing competition and added complexity in value chains, it goes beyond doubt that leaders currently face a batch of upped or even new strategic challenges that demand for a new set of management capabilities, including a more holistic view of world, a more out of the box view to drive innovation, as well as a focus on agility and speed of execution.

The social side of leadership too is in a state of flux, as generational differences challenge the ways employees want their leaders to perform. The need for improved value alignment between businesses and millennials requires leaders to inspire cooperation and inclusiveness in which the (social) ambition of the organisation and its staff becomes more ever important for engagement. To stay on top of the game, leaders will need to garner the capacity to bind together the aims of a variety of stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, staff and shareholders for sustainable growth.

Leadership Connected!
To understand how the changing nature of leadership is bearing on employees and organisational performance, Schouten Global, an advisory and training firm specialised in professional development and soft skills, has launched the research programme ‘Leadership Connected!’. The study builds on a proprietary model developed by the consultancy, which consists of 16 dimensions across seven building blocks. Among the key areas taken under scrutiny are engagement with work, job crafting, job demands (e.g. workload) and the manner with which professionals deal with workplace stress.

Key objective of the study is to map the effects of leadership on the different building blocks, and in turn how these impacts influence performance. Conversely, gaps between actual performance and benchmarks reveal the improvement opportunities that can be mapped out, and through a tailor made report participants are given valuable insights into the matter.

The study focuses on a mix of audiences. In the case of leaders, their participation provides an angle from the top, as well gives them a 360 degree view of how their leadership style influences the views of their teams. Professionals on the work floor are stimulated to participate with the survey as it offers the researchers views in how perceptions of what makes great leaders is changing, while from their perspective it sheds light on their own case and manners how they could advance their own engagement.

Professionals interested in participating with the study can access the survey on this page.