In the past both management and leadership were very much about processes or policies. However, these terms are evolving as long as humans continue to do so. That therefore means that the way leaders behave is changing as well. For the shipping industry to attract and build leaders there are some items that will need to get addressed in year 2019 such as attracting the right talents, genuinely invest in people, get along with digital developments but also formulate specific traits over time through interactions and experience.
Which are the biggest things a leader can do nowadays? “Word of mouth” is critical for shipping operators who need their people talking positively about their organisations. Analytically, the employee advocacy definition refers to the promotion of an organisation. For instance, an employee advocacy program should be either strategic, meaning that it is implemented with several goals in mind but also metrics that track progress, sustainable; to wit: developed to last, or organic when engagement is out of genuine interest. An organisation which strives to truly see the benefit of employees’ learning should invest much in CPD; a variety of methods such as self-directed learning, goal-based learning and problem-based learning, taking a real hands-on approach to employees’ learning experience. Rooted in the outcome of results of skills, CPD puts training in a broader context; Training is not just about looking at training as a course, it is about allowing people to take responsibility and guide their own learning. To be successful, an inspirational leader cannot ignore the human side of interactions. He or she needs to be aware of their persons, engage with them at a human level and demonstrate that they are important. An important part of being a leader in shipping is embodying the values of the organisation, Broadly speaking, most shipping organisations run a set of values that lead employees interactions. Leaders who are committed to their organisation generally feel a connection with it, feel that they fit in and clearly understand the goals of the organisation, which they afterwards spread to their employees. Digitalization is happening at breakneck speed. With that growth of the digitalization, today leaders can see immediately what their competitors are doing faster than ever before. It is moreover important that leaders embrace the new digital environment in a way that’s meaningful for their operators. For example, they may lean on the next generation to help uncover which technological investments will benefit the contextually workplace. As said before, the next generation is good at finding innovative ways of doing things. Apply that skill when it comes to driving efficiencies and opportunities with respect to your services. Inspiring a group of employees to work hard is mostly targeting towards organization’s performance improvement. Therefore, effective leaders are able to convince employees to embrace high ambitions and move the organization forward, while poor leaders struggle to support their people and lead them towards a positive, focused direction. Besides, everything starts with a well communicated strategy and integrity in one’s actions.
