The majority of us today will look back on 2020 as one of the craziest, unexpected years we’ve ever experienced in our lives. Coming into the new year in January, the hopes and expectations were high, especially as it was the start of a new decade… 20/20 vision, right?

No one could have imagined that we would have been experiencing a global pandemic that locked down countries, closed businesses, and halted economies as we all scrambled to figure out what was going on and how to best manage it. The level of challenges and hurdles seemed enormous, but many leaders and their teams have come together and have accomplished a lot while managing the crisis. The question now is at what expense?

We are starting to see reports about the levels of mental well-being and productivity being negatively impacted for many. So, what is it going to take to make a difference? Especially in these unprecedented times?

I regularly host CEO Round Table discussions and it’s a great platform to share ideas, thoughts, and get support from peers. This particular discussion came up recently as to what leaders need to be like now and how they need to be in the future.

Here are five elements we all agreed that we need to see more of in leaders today:

1. Build trust and listen more consciously. Teams need to feel heard and that they are safe. They need reassurance particularly during these uncertain times.
2. Be a visionary and give hope! When there is so much darkness and division in the world that is taking a huge toll on mental well-being, showing the light at the end of the tunnel motivates people to feel better and get back on track. Create and communicate that vision with a vengeance!
3. Genuinely care about your team. How do you teach someone to care? Unfortunately, this is something left out of business schools! It relates back to the first point, but just ask and listen to connect with your team members. Learn about what is important for them and what is on their minds. A few minutes to connect human to human goes a very long way these days!
4. Optimize yourself. If you want a high-performance team, then you as a leader need to be in peak form as well. Having coaches for your health and for your own mindset will help you be a better leader and coach for your teams.
5. Inner Development. Many leaders are on their own personal development journey. Figure out what your purpose is and how it aligns to your company’s purpose. This helps you get inspired and also inspires others when you can set a good example.

On The Amazing Leader Series I’ve discovered from incredible CEOs running billion-dollar companies how they have gone through their own journey of self-discovery and have applied those lesson in their workplace and what a huge difference it has made for them.

One thing is clear. We need leaders who care, who are trustworthy, who are growing and developing, and also who know how to develop others in an authentic and genuine way. The authoritative leadership style is obsolete. We need managers and leaders to be coaches and visionaries. These types of leaders will inspire and give hope for the future. Something we all could use a lot of right now!