The type of leadership that works in the long run is resonant leadership. What is resonant leadership? Resonance is the ability to empathize with other people. A resonant leader harnesses the ability to be in tune with the needs of their team.
The type of relationship you establish with your team is what counts in the long run, not what skills or intellect you possess. I'm not saying that those aren't important. They are, just not in this context. Your skills and intellect help you navigate the team in the right direction, but your leadership keeps the team together and helps them achieve success.
The Traits Of A Resonant Leader
Resonant leaders possess the ability to establish connections with their teams. They build relationships with their employees based on trust. Their employees trust them because they display traits like empathy during challenging times, downsizing and personal crises. One of the most prominent traits they have as leaders is their ability to motivate their teams to follow a shared vision, even in times when the situation does not look good. In short, they supply context, care and perceptiveness without using aggression to do so.
Here's why resonant leadership works in the long run:
1. Helps Prevent Burnout
Burnout occurs when our opinions fall on deaf ears, we exhaust ourselves working too hard, we are unable to cope with changing work environments and our hard work goes unnoticed. That is when we start to feel pessimistic, fatigued and incompetent. To be a resonant leader and prevent your team from succumbing to burnout, create relationships via hope, compassion and mindfulness.
- Mindfulness: Resonant leaders can detect problems, issues and challenges from a composed and accepting perspective.
- Compassion: Resonant leaders practice active listening and speak from the heart.
- Hope: Resonant leaders remind their teams of the meaning of the work they do.
2. Keeps Teams Motivated
Resonant leaders share their vision for the company with their teams. Help them comprehend the purpose of what they do and continually remind them of the importance of accomplishing the company’s vision. Share perceptive insights repeatedly. For example, tell your team:
- Why we are here
- Why the company was created
- How it is helping others to bring hope and a higher meaning to the entire team
3. Committed Teams
Resonant leaders care deeply about other people and are understanding and empathetic toward others. If someone told you they cared about you, your feelings and your opinions, how would you feel? What would your reaction be? It would motivate you and you would commit yourself to achieving the shared goals held by your team leader.
4. Better Responses
Resonant leaders tend to steer a motivated and committed team to overcome an obstacle together. For instance, a company run by a resonant leader going through certain changes such as layoffs will respond better to the changes instead of stressing out and panicking.
Resonant leaders create strong and everlasting bonds with their teams. Helping them do that is their authenticity, transparency, genuineness and empathy that resonates with their employees.
