As disruption spawns a new style of leadership, AFR BOSS magazine explores how Millennial leaders differ from their older counterparts.
The age of the strongman has re-emerged, epitomised by Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte and Russia's Vladimir Putin. But in the workplace, the strongman playbook doesn’t appeal to young leaders – they prefer to be collaborative and open to feedback, rather than practising the more traditional hierarchical style of leadership.
For Jade Little, showing “a chink in the armour” is a vital leadership trait in the workplace. Acknowledging mistakes and being open to feedback is “hugely important because it builds trust”, the former BOSS Young Executive says.
Trust is in short supply. Polling from the Australia Institute found that about two-thirds of Australians have either low or very low trust in the federal government. In the business realm, the Hayne royal commission revealed a lack of leadership at some of Australia’s top banks, insurers and retail super funds, further eroding the public’s trust in these institutions.
Little, a former UBS mining analyst and McKinsey consultant who recently rejoined BHP as manager of mining production and maintenance services across Australia, says good leaders own their mistakes.
“I admit when I don’t know something,” she says, “I’ll admit when I’ve made a mistake [and] when I have, I will be very open to changing a course of action.”
But just admitting to a mistake or committing to change isn’t enough, says Little, who is also the executive director of the Australia-China Youth Dialogue, which connects promising young leaders in their respective fields to promote greater understanding of bilateral affairs.
Leaders need to act quickly to show they mean what they say, Little says.
“I have been in an organisation where there [was] a case for change,” she says of a previous workplace. “The leaders said that they were on board and supported it, but in reality they weren’t willing to do anything about it. They said the right things, but they didn’t act, which meant we didn’t know if they even believed what they said about needing to change.”
Little says it is important to look at the incentive structure that can drive such behaviour. “I don’t think target-setting is wrong, but I think there are instances where it can be quite destructive for the organisation, possibly their employees, possibly their customers, or the community around them.”
Successful leaders have a strong sense of the effects of their decisions, not just on the bottom line, but also on stakeholders, including their employees, the communities around them, and the implications for the environment, she says. “That’s something I consider when I make decisions at work.”
Leaders should also seek to create a supportive environment for employees by promoting flexible work options and being aware of mental health issues.
Like all resource companies, BHP runs “safety shares”, where teams on mine sites flag incidents such as a broken leg or a gashed hand. Little has seen these briefings move beyond physical injuries. “These days you’ll do a safety share and sometimes it’ll be around mental health or someone’s personal experience in a family situation, which allows the team to be aware of issues.”
Another important leadership trait is having enough emotional intelligence to get the best out of introverts and extroverts, she says.
by Elouise Fowler
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