#67 Upskilling and Reskilling Leaders: The Missing Piece Link

Hello, you’re listening to the Results Driven Organizations podcast, with Dr. Taunya Lowe; using my results driven philosophy of strategy, leadership, teams, and customer experiences; I help organizations develop their best kept secret… their human capital. This podcast is designed to expand the conversation with C-Suite leaders and those who support organizational growth and development and what it really takes to create, develop, and maintain results driven and high performing organizations. where we're diving into a crucial topic that's been on my mind lately: the importance of upskilling and reskilling leaders. For over a year now, I've been talking about the necessity of developing employees' skills and mindsets. But recently, after facilitating a meeting, I had a revelation that stopped me in my tracks, I mean, it hit me like a ton of bricks: leaders need to be upskilled and reskilled too. Think about it for a moment. How effective can an organization truly be if all its employees are growing and developing, but the leadership remains stagnant? It's like trying to sail a ship with a modern, high-tech crew but an outdated navigation system. Allow me to  break this down further. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, three key areas stand out as critical indicators that our leaders need developing too: critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead multigenerational teams. First, critical thinking. In an era of information overload and complex challenges, leaders must be able to analyze situations from multiple angles, make informed decisions, and solve problems creatively. Without these skills, how can they guide their teams through uncharted waters? Second, emotional intelligence. The days of the stoic, detached leader are long gone. Today's effective leaders need to understand and manage their own emotions while empathizing with others. EQ is a crucial skill for building strong relationships, motivating teams, and navigating the human aspects of organizational change. Third, let's consider the challenge of leading multigenerational teams. Today's workforce is more diverse than ever, with up to five generations working side by side. According to a 2020 Deloitte survey, 64% of business leaders cited managing a multigenerational workforce as a significant challenge. Each generation brings its own strengths, values, and communication styles to the table. Gen Z, the newest entrants to the workforce, are particularly reshaping workplace dynamics. Born between 1997 and 2012, they're expected to make up 27% of the workforce by 2025. A study by Dell Technologies found that 80% of Gen Z aspire to work with cutting-edge technology, and 91% say technology would influence their job choice. Moreover, a report by Glassdoor revealed that 77% of Gen Z workers value a company's diversity and inclusion initiatives when considering job offers. Our leaders need to be equipped with the skills to bridge these generational gaps, fostering understanding and collaboration across diverse teams. They need to know how to leverage the unique strengths of each generation while creating a cohesive team environment. For instance, harnessing Gen Z's digital nativity and desire for social impact can drive innovation and corporate social responsibility initiatives. However, a 2022 survey by Hibob found that 54% of HR professionals believe their managers struggle to lead multigenerational teams effectively. This underscores the urgent need for leadership development in this area. Leaders must learn to adapt their communication styles, mentoring approaches, and team-building strategies to cater to a diverse workforce. By upskilling our leaders in multigenerational leadership, we can create more inclusive, dynamic, and productive work environments. This not only improves team performance but also enhances employee satisfaction and retention across all generations. Leaders must be adept at bridging generational gaps,