Human Leaders in a Tech-Enabled World: A Marketplace Christian’s Reflection
“The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.”
Vibrant economy meets ageing workforce. In a major demographical shift in Singapore, across various manpower-strapped industries, veterans and new entrants are intertwined, collaborating on, and co-delivering solutions for their respective client segments. In today’s co-working spaces and tech-enabled offices, human abilities in leadership, conflict management, and employee relations remain critical for the sustainability of organisations.
Humanity’s need for real relationships, authentic communications, and compassion, are of equal importance to Gen X-ers, digital natives, and other “new tribes” that join the workforce. From a Christian perspective, the characteristics of personal integrity and inter-personal compassion are relevant today, as it was in the time of Biblical Israel. “In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined.” (ESV, Pro 14:28). The leader’s ability to rally a following, is the hallmark of good leadership.
Leaders and followers are two parts of a whole. In team sports, the captain is both the leader on the court, as well as an equal contributor towards achieving the team’s objectives. In the operating theatre, the lead surgeon holds the twin responsibilities for the expert guidance of the surgical team, as well as being the chief guardian of the patient’s care. The twin requirements of personal expertise and relational excellence are characteristics that the Christian leader ought to refine. As Christian leaders enter the year-end review season, consider how we tend to disregard those who serve without fanfare? How often are quiet contributors overlooked as key drivers to our team’s success? At risk, is the under-valuing of the work accomplished by the collective team, when individual impact is over-emphasised in the review evaluation.
Leadership without a team is a non-entity. Perhaps, in the urgency to meet KPIs, quiet contributors in the midst may be feeling dismissed. Across the spectrum of industries, both seasoned and fresh workers may feel that their labours and “heartwork” are seemingly taken for granted. As we consider the wise words of Proverbs 14:28, the mark of good leadership is a committed and competent team, leadership without a team is a non-entity. Many times, leaders miss out on noticing those who blend in quietly, only highlighting the MVPs in our midst. A sports captain cannot play with less than the full team, and a surgeon cannot continue with the surgical procedure on his own. Each member of the workforce is an integral part of the work.
Human Leaders in a Tech-Enabled World. Diversity of capabilities, personalities, and energies are realities in our multi-generational workforce. Juxtaposed against the emotion-neutral digital-enabled work arenas, the conviction to empower and uplift those whom we are privileged to lead, are distinguishing characteristics of the leader’s ability and humanity. The committed leader maintains and grows the team, calibrating a work environment for all to thrive.
