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Over the last few years, we’ve witnessed a shift in leadership theory. Previous schools of thought saw a successful leader as an authoritarian, no-nonsense figure who got results by cracking the whip. Today, we think of good leaders as people who are likeable and who build strong relationships with their teams in order to get things done. As a result, employees have more power than ever, and they’re making it clear they don’t want to work in toxic cultures under jerk bosses.
Dr. Michelle Johnston
Someone who has documented this shift is Dr. Michelle K Johnston, particularly in her book The Seismic Shift in Leadership. She believes that the pandemic has accelerated this shift.
“When we were in lockdown and seeing each other in our homes with spouses and children, dogs and cats, I think it was good for us to realize we’re not just this businessperson, we’re a full human,” remarked Michelle.
Throughout her research, Michelle saw compassion becoming a key indicator of success during the pandemic. The leaders who showed up as if nothing had changed were not succeeding. The leaders who took the time to check in with their team and create psychological safety for honest responses succeeded.
Michelle provided a brilliant example where a leader started a meeting by asking his team how they were doing on a scale from one to 10. The team all gave high answers of around eight. Then the leader spoke up honestly and said he was struggling. He rated himself around a three and shared some things that were going on in his life. Then he asked his team if anyone wanted to change their score. His team gave honest answers of 3s, 4s, and 5s. They shared things that were going on for them personally, and it was because he created a space where they could be vulnerable.
As Michelle likes to say, “perfection equals disconnection.” When leaders put on this façade of perfection, they put up a wall between themselves and their team. Michelle champions the person-to-person connection instead. “You want leaders to show compassion for the whole person.”
Michelle believes compassion starts with a listening-first style or a servant-leader approach. Instead of deciding what your team needs from you and dictating how you will serve them, involve your team in how you serve them. Michelle is a big believer in reimagining meetings. For example, one of her clients conducts walking meetings in Central Park. Another client lets each team member tell her how they wanted their one-on-one meetings. Each direct report came back with different needs, and she accommodated them. “It plays to servant leadership. How can I serve you? How can these meetings meet your needs and goals.”
Michelle describes the shift she sees in leadership as going from transactional, top-down communication to creating an environment where people feel valued and appreciated. This is what creates connection and an energy of reciprocity in an organization.
She has been creating connection assessments for leaders to help leaders understand how they can better serve and build connections with their teams. The goal is to give leaders a survey they can send to their direct reports so they can collaborate with their teams when creating a strategy for connection.
This kind of leadership is important and needed, but it's not about being a therapist for your direct reports or making everyone do silly personal icebreakers. It is simply about showing your team that you care about them as human beings, not just as an employee.
As Michelle says, “This is about results, and you get the results you need through connection. You connect by building that trust and psychological safety.”
Learn more about Michelle’s book The Seismic Shift in Leadership. Watch the interview with Michelle and Dan Pontefract in full below or listen to it via the Leadership NOW series podcast.
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Check out my award-winning 4th book, “Lead. Care. Win. How to Become a Leader Who Matters.” Thinkers50 #1 rated thinker, Amy. C. Edmondson of Harvard Business School, calls it “an invaluable roadmap.” Publishing in October 2023, a new book: Work-Life Bloom. (You don’t want to miss harvesting it.)
