5 Leadership Predictions for 2011

2010 is quickly coming to a close, and fortunately, so is the recession that left most leaders fearing for the future of their organizations.  As you think about strategies for managing your team(s) in 2011, here are some predictions to keep in mind:

Retention over layoffs

For the better part of two years, you had to focus on how to let some employees go, and now it's going to be the other way around.   The recessionary workplace has been a difficult one, and many employees will attempt to leave as soon as they feel it's getting better out there.  You will need to take extra care to motivate your team members and provide real-time recognition and perks.

Re-emergence of innovation as a priority

While everyone was just trying to keep their heads above water, the emphasis on creating and delivering superior new products and services rather went by the wayside.  Expect leaders at the highest echelons of your organization to start "talking the talk" and think about ways to "walk the walk."

Equal opportunity leadership development

Nearly every organization now has four generations in the ranks, and waiting to train an employee until he is in a position to manage others is no longer desirable or practical.  The Millennial generation (born 1980-95). especially, requires early and ongoing leadership development training as they prepare to take on retiring Boomers' responsibilities at a younger age.

A brave new world of day-to-day supervision

Managing employees and their projects keeps getting more complex, as global mobility and the number of virtual teams increases.  As employees work out of their homes in record numbers, you will have to maintain a balance between micromanagement and neglect.

Social networking as a dominant recruiting strategy

Social networking will shift from being an unfunded add-on to a critical component of the recruiting mix.  As a leader, you must ensure that everyone who has hiring responsibilities in your organization understands the best way to find, contact, and communicate with the most desirable candidates using social media.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Comments

[Marty Nemko]

In the global economy, in which ever more work can be done in a low-cost nation, given the cost of hiring a U.S. employee so high and getting higher (e.g., with ObamaCare) I do not foresee a scenario under which U.S. employment (other than perhaps some temp work) will increase.

[Sara Kmiecik]

Great post - I definitely agree that social media will still be at the forefront in 2011, as it is becoming more and more popular in the business world each day.

[Alexandra Levit]

@Sara: Thanks for reading and commenting!
@Marty: I'm getting to your comment late (apologies), but it looks like we are making some glacial progress.