By Dumo Mbethe, CEO Momentum Corporate
As a leader, it is my duty to acutely appreciate that the challenges of today come with no user manual. Pandemics, loadshedding, unemployment, greylisting, conflicts – there is no end to the economic and emotional hardships experienced by the people I lead, and I am right there with them. It’s like we’ve all gone toe-to-toe with Mike Tyson and we’re still standing on the 15th round, but the bell refuses to ring.
Despite feeling fatigued and bruised from the leadership boxing ring, I know my colleagues may be struggling and need support now more than ever. Our natural inclination is to want to go into solution mode to make things better. Realistically, we don’t always have all the answers, but within and among us lie the solutions – and that means tapping into the experiences and ideas of those around us to formulate plans that will enable success. We should start with understanding the landscape and context of our people and our businesses.
People are more than just numbers – understanding them deeply through research can inform strategy and help us build a vision for the future that is rooted in reality, instead of building castles in the sand.
This understanding requires extensive research and insights into the minds of leaders and employees. That’s why for the last four years, Momentum Corporate’s flagship research, Partnership Connect, has been unpacking the world of business to uncover practical lessons for leaders.
A key insight from the research is that businesses are still resiliently operating in the midst of crises. The outlook over the next year is positive, with the theme for businesses being growth. True to form, South Africans always make a plan; whatever the circumstances. With a score of only 5.9 out of 10, leaders say they are finding it challenging to lead, and a third of them are finding it exceedingly difficult. Leaders also scored above 7 on most wellbeing indicators – but there is still much room for improvement. A third of leader's rate energy levels at 6 and less, highlighting the impact of the extended crisis period on leaders’ physical and mental health.