There is a saying that the greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one who gets the people to do the greatest things. Today, leadership is mainly about fostering growth, adaptability, and resilience. Operational leadership strategies and modern-day leadership tactics go beyond managing performance metrics and operational efficiency. Through operational leadership innovation and digital transformation strategies, organizations can retain the talents and create opportunities for brand advocacy and continued growth. Here are the five unique strategies used by modern-day operational leaders.
Creating a Resilient and Problem-Solving Work Environment
Leaders must understand that career transitions are critical to organizational prosperity. When an employee is being promoted, shifting laterally, or retiring, these changes foster innovation, bring fresh perspectives, and strengthen adaptability. Leaders who encourage the changes as opportunities promote an environment where resilience and problem-solving are core strengths of the team. Great leaders welcome transfers so that the organization can maintain agility and better respond to evolving market demands.
Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Upward Mobility
At present, people are dealing very much with the work-life balance. Employees are more likely to stay with an organization if growth opportunities are clear. Leaders should support this development by establishing a learning-centered culture where career development is a shared priority. Embracing transitions, whether through professional development programs or internal mobility, organizations create an ecosystem in which employees feel their long-term aspirations are supported. This promotes employee retention, engagement, and higher levels of performance.
Position Transitions as Part of a Holistic Talent Strategy
Changing careers benefits not only the individual but also the organization as a whole. People who obtain new roles come up with innovative ideas that will help the team perform efficiently. Organizations and leaders who embrace career transitions effectively develop future leaders and innovators. Besides, by encouraging employees to come up with new ideas, leaders can strengthen the talent pool.
Innovative leaders must understand that their role goes beyond day-to-day operations. They play a key role as mentors and supporters of employee development and ensure that transfers, whether horizontal or vertical, are embraced as part of a broader strategy for individual and organizational success. By encouraging employees with empathy, structure, and openness, leaders can develop a vibrant and adaptable workforce that can respond to the ever-changing demands of the modern workplace.
Maintaining Corporate Alumni Connections
We often see that in large organizations, employees go back to support their previous organization. Currently, relationships with former employees are often underestimated. The corporate alumni are valuable assets that can continue to provide insight and industry knowledge and even return as idea packages. Organizations that develop to maintain connections not only preserve their organization's intellectual capital but also open the door for future collaboration, talent acquisition, and knowledge sharing.
Supporting the Change
Transfers, internal or external, often bring stress and anxiety to employees. Leaders must focus on providing individualized guidance, empathy, and clear feedback. Thought leaders understand that a one-size-fits-all approach will fail during times of change.
Leaders create a culture where employees feel valued and supported by investing time to support employees through new challenges, whether promotions or retirements. Individualized mentorship strengthens relationships, builds trust, and increases loyalty long after an employee leaves the organization.
While interacting with CEO Insights, Sakaar Anand, Vice President, India Country Head, BMC Software, says, “In today's data-centric business landscape, corporations are increasingly focused on finding ways to use data to drive strategic initiatives. The key lies in unlocking the inherent value of data to foster corporate uniqueness, enhance operational efficiency, and facilitate insightful decision-making that positively impacts revenue and profitability. A robust data strategy, aligned with the overarching business objectives, is essential, emphasizing data integrity, governance, and cost-effectiveness. AI plays a pivotal role in navigating the complexities of data and unlocking its potential value. The synergy between AI and data is crucial for a holistic transformation across all business facets, not just IT.”
Rakesh Aerath, President—Asia Pacific, CGI, says, “In today's dynamic environment, it is extremely important that you meticulously understand the nuances of technology as well as the domain and how both impact your client's business. You must have a keen focus on the changes happening in the technology/domain so that you can be a partner and an expert of choice for your clients. Another important tenet of leadership that I focus on is collaboration. You must collaborate well internally in a large organization and, more importantly, externally with the ecosystem. In today's vast technology environment, you might not be able to fulfill all the needs of your clients. Hence, you must partner effectively with the ecosystem players, such as the cloud and technology platform providers, and bring the best value to your clients.”