When we know that knowledge of people is such a large part of leadership, we must ensure that all leaders are ready to meet the challenges of the future. The future starts now, and there are already several management challenges that were not relevant just a short time ago. There are several things to take into account:

• Technology is developing at breakneck speed, and more and more demands are being made for companies to ride the wave.
• Globalization has meant that many companies have employees in many countries, and the manager must, among other things, deal with cultural differences, time zones, etc.
• Demographics. We are getting older and older, and we need to be able to lead across generations.
• The environment and green thinking are a natural part of almost all companies' structure. This requires the manager to take a stand on it.
• CSR is gaining more and more traction, and more companies are taking social responsibility. Many companies already employ employees with limited working capacity. This places demands on the manager, and a decision must be made on, for example, the degree of involvement.
• Working environment is a challenge that requires focus every day. Increased demands for efficiency trigger more and more cases of stress, just as bullying is a challenge in many companies.
• And then there are the young people – Generation Y, as some call them. As a manager, you must be able to accommodate the young people who will soon enter the labor market in order to be successful. Young people ask questions, and they do not have the same respect for hierarchies and authorities. As a leader, you must earn their loyalty and they will search for meaning in the job. They are used to living online, and social media will automatically be part of their working day. They want to innovate and have fun. They demand joy in life, and quality of life is at the top of the list. If you do not meet these expectations, they will quickly move on to a new job.

Management vs. Leadership

In order to be able to meet all these challenges, and to be well equipped to act in the best way, you as a manager must focus on leadership and learn to exercise it. A rule of thumb says that leadership is; to do things right, while leadership is; to do the right things. Leadership is important so that you as a manager can create good results through your employees.

The difference between management and leadership can be illustrated by turning the organizational pyramid upside down. It is no longer the manager's job to direct and distribute the work and issue orders, instead the manager should support the employees in their work.

As a manager, you can support your employees by:

• Communicate value standards, direction and framework for the company - employees must know how to act within the framework. You can, among other things, do through examples.
• Develop goals together with the employees - this creates greater ownership among them, which provides inner satisfaction and motivation.
• Be present and present – if you as a manager call an employee to an important meeting, but do everything else at the same time, then you are not present, and the employee is left with a feeling of being in the way, and not being important enough. Presence shows the employee that he is important.
• Give employees responsibility for their work tasks, and let them keep it, even if you support and inspire them in the process.

One of the bonuses of working with leadership is that you develop as a person at the same time; becomes better at communicating, more motivated and happier.

Learn to understand yourself and your employees

In order to be understood, you must first understand the people by whom you want to be understood. It sounds gnarly, but it makes perfect sense. It is crucial for you to be able to adapt your behavior so that you accommodate the differences of your employees. You can train the ability to put yourself in other people's shoes, and this will facilitate communication between you.

Self-insight

Start with yourself and your behavior. Why do you act the way you do and what makes you take the actions you do? What values and norms did you grow up with? How does your self-esteem compare to your self-confidence? It is important to work with self-esteem and inner calm when you want to strengthen your ability to be present with other people. When you have learned to know yourself and gained awareness of your own behaviour, it is easier for you to understand and accommodate the differences of your employees. You also have to work on the ability to spot more potential in the people around you.

The above is just a selection of areas that will support you in the development of your leadership.

For a more thorough introduction to the development of leadership click here: Video – Development of leadership (1/3)