Want to be a good leader? Listen, learn and accept times have changed

In The Office, the US TV show that ran for nine seasons from 2005 to 2013, the manager of the fictional company portrayed in the mockumentary underwent an intriguing transformation.  

Michael Scott began the series as a narcissistic know-it-all who made an endless series of ignorant cultural gaffs and arrogantly shrugged off any negative consequences. He centered himself in every decision and refused to take advice or learn from his mistakes. But, by the end of the show, Scott was a popular figurehead who had led his team to success. 

Throughout this transition, viewers watched Scott admit his shortcomings, open himself up to learning (albeit clumsily) and slowly reveal an authentic level of insight into each of his employees and their worlds.  

And hidden within the development of this cartoonish character from a show more than a decade old are some prescient lessons for today’s leaders. 

Leading through generations

In today’s workplace, four generations may share the same office space while holding very different values. And, just as some of The Office storylines don’t bear up to today’s scrutiny and would be rightly rejected as offensive, so do some styles of leadership. 

Never have so many generations coexisted simultaneously in the office

“We are witnessing an unprecedented moment,” says Carlos Royo, Lecturer in the Department of People and Organization Management at Esade. Writing in Harvard Deusto Business Review, he continues: “Never have so many generations coexisted simultaneously in the office. 

“Archetypically, the leaders of the Baby Boomer generation are executive and authoritarian. Gen X shares some of this executive style, but likes to be rewarded for the achievement of objectives.  

“Millennials and Gen Z are introducing leadership styles based on cooperation and mutual trust. They prefer autonomy and want feedback to be two-way, with the option to give their boss feedback as well as receiving it.” 

With such a wide discrepancy in expectations, how do leaders bridge this generation gap? 

Focus on the individual

“It’s more difficult to lead today because there has to be a much stronger focus on context,” Esade’s Andrés Raya told the newspaper Diari d’Andorra. “Whether it’s the environment, the project, the culture — the world we live in is much more complex. In this unstable context, honesty and trust are valued above all else.” 

To tackle this instability, Raya says, it’s essential to ensure everyone is treated as an individual — something leaders of older hierarchical generations may find unfamiliar. 

"A good leader has to take care of people individually," he says. “They must attend to the expectations of each one of them. If everyone’s expectations are met, you’ll succeed in motivating them. Personal treatment is key.

“A leader who doesn’t want to learn and is rigid in a constantly changing environment will fail. A good leader must be an eternal learner with an intrinsic motivation to continue experimenting and embracing change.”

Language matters

With such diverse expectations from employees, how does a leader from any generation ensure their message is heard in a way that is welcomed and valued?

“The use of language is an essential instrument to modify and influence the transformation of culture,” Professor Royo explains. Speaking to Expansión newspaper, he continues: “How the story is told affects how it is perceived. In the evolution of leadership, the words chosen are fundamental because modifying certain terms also changes the context.”

However, far from simply saying what you think the other person wants to hear to get what you want, this means respecting the language and the values of the person you’re communicating with — regardless of whether you agree with them.

The use of language is an essential instrument to modify and influence the transformation of corporate culture

“Leadership is a discipline intensive in human relations,” Xavier Ferràs, Professor at Esade and Associate Dean of the Esade Executive MBA Program, notes in an op-ed written for VIAempresa. “The leader must contribute to the professional and personal development of the team, understand what motivates them, what excites them, what inspires them, what worries them, and what blocks them. 

“And it is in this dimension, that of humanism, when a director, a manager, really becomes — or fails to become — a leader.” 

People don’t leave jobs — they leave bad leaders

When leaders fail, it can have a catastrophic impact on the whole organization. “The wrong choice of leader can have serious consequences for finances, productivity, employee satisfaction, reputation and corporate culture,” warns Raya.  

“One of the main motivations that drives people to change jobs is a bad relationship with their leader. So if you have someone in a leadership position who doesn’t have the capacity to make adjustments to their own style for the benefit of their team, their authority is weakened. The disgruntled employee leaves, the bad reputation spreads, the culture is damaged, the brand is undermined — the repercussions are serious. 

When leaders fail, it can have a catastrophic impact on the whole organization

“Between realizing the mistake, giving feedback and the opportunity to put things right, making the final decision and starting anew — that can be two years at least,” he says. “This stagnation damages the team, the management and the entire company.” 

Timeless skills

Like TV shows and language, leadership evolves. A joke that may have been funny on a 1950s sitcom could be wildly offensive today, and a stance that could have got a leader a seat on the board in the 1980s could now see them swiftly fired. 

But some skills are timeless. Honesty, transparency, humility, a willingness to embrace change and a true respect for diverse opinions will never go out of style. 

“At Esade, we have developed a leadership model in accordance with our own humanistic and missional vocation,” says Ferràs. “A leader must have the competence to fulfill the needs of the role, the awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and the environment they work in, compassion for the problems of every human, and a desire to achieve genuine positive change. 

“We can’t move towards a future of shared prosperity without competent, aware, compassionate and committed leaders. We live in challenging times — but with them come opportunities for great leaders.”