[Tribune] In this column, Débora O’hana, entrepreneur, speaker, specialist in business psychology, sparring partner and trainer, underlines the fact that to transform crises into opportunities, the challenge of leadership is to reconcile individual aspirations and collective issues by combining authenticity, meaning and performance.
Crisis, in Chinese, means both “danger” and “opportunity”. The leader is the one who will turn potential danger into a concrete opportunity, and will know how to make change a lever for growth.
In a consumer society where immediacy prevails, work, like meetings, interactions and online purchases, is consumed quickly. This dynamic experienced a significant turning point with the Covid-19 crisis, leading to a disruption in business life. Teleworking, digital communication, artificial intelligence, new methods of collaboration, as well as diversity and inclusion are now at the center of debate. The employee has become, in many respects, a consumer of work.
A new reality: adapt to evolve
Companies must then face a new situation: they must now attract to hire, and adapt to evolve. The health crisis, in addition to its immediate consequences, has revealed an even deeper phenomenon: a generation of young people who are redefining the value of work, no longer as an obligation, but as a means of enriching and improving their quality of life. life. Far from sacrifice and blind obedience to imposed authority, this youth demands more freedom, more meaning, more well-being at work. And this requirement is gradually affecting their elders: a study conducted by Gallup in 2023 reveals that 85% of employees worldwide are either not engaged or actively disengaged in their work.
Managers are therefore obliged today to rethink their way of recruiting, retaining and involving their teams. This is indeed a crucial issue: to attract talent and guarantee their long-term commitment, it is necessary to respond to a new type of demand. But what skills must be mobilized to meet this challenge?
“The job market now demands from managers a transition towards total transparency”
What is certain is that now is no longer the time for hesitation, illusion or pretense. The job market now demands total transparency from managers, as well as a rejection of the “bullshit” that has long marked corporate communication. I notice every day in the context of my corporate missions that the key lies in active and sensitive listening embodied with authenticity.
It is time to put an end to paternalistic and strict practices that infantilize employees. Authority, which finds its etymology in the fact of “making people grow”, must be reinvented. A leader must be the one who offers his teams the opportunity to develop, to flourish, to avoid boredom and the state in which. He must also be able to listen, value and involve, because the era when the leader could just impose himself is over. And many of us see it on a daily basis in organizations: talents demand space to express themselves, to debate, to share their ideas. The role of the leader is therefore no longer to impose his vision, but to promote a climate where initiative is valued and where the decision, when taken, is supported with conviction.
A leader deemed competent by his teams is one who manages to value the diversity of opinions, encourage debate and embody a vision that inspires, motivates and inspires desire. It is also the one who knows how to adapt the company to a constantly changing environment: flexibility in the face of new working methods and communication that promotes true collaboration.
A new disengaged generation?
Today, employees no longer just want to work for the sake of working. They are no longer satisfied with a salary and a title, what they desire and seek is meaning. It’s a way of getting involved in something bigger than themselves, that resonates with their personal values. Recent social movements (whether for climate justice, social equality, or even workers’ rights), bear witness to this desire: the desire to change things, to actively participate in a better world.
It is very easy to describe the new generation as “disengaged” or “individualist”. But that would be missing a more nuanced truth: they aspire to a form of independence and autonomy, certainly, but they also want to invest fully in projects that have meaning. This apparent paradox is an opportunity for companies: today’s employees want to grow, evolve, and contribute to value-bearing initiatives.
This poses a major challenge for managers. In a world where work is no longer simply an obligation but a lever for personal development, the role of the leader must evolve. It is no longer a question of leading solely by financial objectives or rigid processes, but of embodying a vision capable of mobilizing.
A good leader knows how to unite
To meet these expectations, businesses must adapt. They must learn to unite, not by forcing uniformity, but by respecting the uniqueness of each person. The leader of tomorrow must be able to leave the individualistic framework to draw from this quest for autonomy a deeper need: that of being involved in a collective project.
A good leader no longer directs, he unites around him. He mobilizes his teams around a common mission, a “why” which goes beyond the simple “how”. It gives employees the means to grow and develop their skills, while involving them in decisions that will impact their daily lives in the company in one way or another. By embodying strong values and providing a framework where everyone can find their place, it transforms a group of individuals into a united and committed team.
The real challenge is therefore to find a balance: giving employees the space to be themselves, while bringing them together around a common ambition. This requires transparent communication, meaningful projects, and a corporate culture where everyone feels both free and useful.
-Ultimately, work doesn’t go away. What changes is how it is perceived. “Working to live” gives way to a quest for fulfillment. And for companies, it is no longer just about offering employment, but about becoming an actor of change.
Transforming an individual quest for meaning into collective strength
So, the question for leaders is clear: how to transform this individual quest for meaning into a collective force capable of moving not only the company, but also society forward? The answers are built as a team, one conversation at a time.
The leader, like a modern Zarathustra, must mobilize his will to power to help society grow, and not to dominate it. The objective is clear: to allow everyone to flourish in a motivating and collaborative work environment.
To meet this challenge, the leader must be sensitive to the changes in our society and capable of inspiring empathy, collaboration and enthusiasm. Arousing the desire to work becomes the fundamental issue, because it is at the heart of collective motivation. It is by inspiring this momentum that the leader transforms the crisis into a real opportunity. Making its teams high-level athletes, while promoting their uniqueness and playing the role of captain, this is the project to pursue.
One question remains unanswered: if the leader is challenged in the business world, the faces of our international political leaders tell of the still current success of dictatorial figures. This fight towards freedom remains imbued with voluntary servitude as La Boétie highlighted to us. There is still a long way to go…
Our summary in 5 key points by L’Express Connect IA
(verified by our editorial staff)
Here are five key points from the article on the subject: Leadership : entre crises et transformations.
Challenges of modern leadership: In a world facing profound changes, leaders must combine innovation, ethics and sustainability while integrating individual aspirations and collective challenges to create a fulfilling work environment.
The impact of the crisis on work: The health crisis has disrupted work models, with a transition to teleworking and increased demands regarding the meaning and quality of life at work. Younger generations are looking for careers that offer a balance between performance and well-being.
Transformation of mentalities: Young people are increasingly sensitive to ethical values and corporate social responsibility. They aspire to work that allows them to contribute to broader causes, their personal development and find meaning in their professional commitment.
Importance of training and support: Establishments play a crucial role, like business schools, and must adapt to these new expectations by training future leaders capable of inspiring, unifying, and mentoring their teams. This includes teaching people skills and managing diversity of opinion.
Thinking about the business model: To adapt to contemporary challenges, leaders must rethink their approach, prioritize team spirit and encourage creativity. The objective is to bring about a transformation of individual quests for meaning towards a collective dynamic and a common vision, which benefits both the individual and the organization.
Related News :