Written by: Britta Lorenz, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Leadership is evolving. With technology becoming an ever-present part of our lives and work, the human-centric leader is becoming more important than ever. But first, what is human-centric leadership? Human-centric leadership is a leadership mechanism that views people as a priority. It centers on the belief that people are the most valuable and vital asset in any organization.
The human-centric leadership mechanism:
requires treating all people with respect
listening to their needs or desires without judgment
following through on commitments made towards team members
ensuring that all employees feel valued for who they are
Human-centric leadership is modern leadership.
People are looking for genuine connections in the workplace and for leaders who can provide for them. In this article, I'll share the skills you need to succeed today.
While I have worked in a hybrid environment for more than 15 years, this time was different. Covid required everyone to change how they worked and led their teams. This opened my eyes to the importance of human-centric leadership. Surveying hundreds of people, I created my C²LEA²R framework.
C²LEA²R stands for
C² = Collaborative Communication L = Learning E = Empathy A² = Authenticity & Accountability R = Responsibility
and is the acronym for my framework that supports you in navigating your leadership in the highly digital and collaborative working era. Now is the time to rethink your leadership approach and become the human-centric leader you always wanted to be.
The human-centric leader is not a new leadership style. In fact, it has been around for centuries. The difference is that in today's digital world, human-centric leaders must be more aware of their impact on others and be able to use technology to their advantage.
A human-centric leader understands the importance of communication and collaboration. They master the art of emotional intelligence and know how to build trust and respect among team members. They also develop relationships that inspire loyalty and commitment.
How do they do that?
Collaborative Communication
To be a successful communicator, we need to listen and understand. It's not enough just hearing what has been said. It's hard to listen when you're busy thinking about your response or what they might say next. Understanding someone else's point of view requires we tune out our thoughts and focus on their words without interruption. Genuinely listen and absorb all the necessary information you can when interacting with another person, and observe how their body language and facial expressions correspond to what they're saying.
Stop being one of those "I-know-it-all" people, and instead, be open-minded and always be curious to massage your questioning muscle. Ask simple, powerful, and inspiring questions ‒ one at a time. And fewer, less is more.
Learning
The second pillar of C²LEA²R is Learning.
I dare to say lifelong learning fuels development as a person and leader. It demands that we are always curious and open-minded enough to consider new ideas from all angles. Adapt and pivot quickly when faced with obstacles in our path or opportunities at hand (which may seem similar). Leverage failure and feedback wisely so we can improve upon what has already been done before rather than reactively following trends blindly without understanding their true meaning. It is critical to understand that without failure, there cannot be success. Most importantly, learn how to recognize and navigate around gaps in skills/behavioral patterns both personally AND professionally!
You are the architect of your own personal development. As a human-centric leader, it is crucial to foster an environment that enables people's passion for growth and learning so you can inspire others within your organization as well beyond its walls!
Empathy
Empathy is a true superpower and the third pillar of my framework.
Not everyone is a natural-born empath. The good news is that you can work at it to achieve the mission-critical goals of a human-centric leader, such as building meaningful connections and relationships with others and establishing trust. Empathy is the keystone that will help shape everything into what you desire most ‒ a sense of community where people feel cared for by their peers who care deeply about them too!
Remember, boundaries are needed even if it might be difficult. You can't be everything to everyone all of the time. You are human too.
Authenticity & Accountability
We must be honest with ourselves first before we can be authentic with others—this requires brutal self-awareness and understanding of where we are coming from. We must understand that today we are who we are based on our past and experiences. Too often, we put up façades to please or appease others without really knowing who we are at our core. When we become more aware of our personal values, beliefs, and motivations, it becomes easier to show up as our true selves in every situation! From there, it's much simpler to be accountable for our actions and words and gain clarity in our choices because they align with what we believe in most deeply. People will know when we are being inauthentic.
Responsibility
Lastly, the fifth pillar of C²LEA²R is Responsibility.
As human-centric leaders, we must take full responsibility for our team's success or failure. This means being transparent when things go wrong and sharing in the celebration when things go right! It also means supporting our team members through thick and thin—because their success is ultimately our success too. When we show up as responsible leaders, people are more likely to trust us and feel comfortable coming to us with their needs, problems, or challenges. They know we will listen without judgment and work together to find a solution that works for everyone involved.
This might seem obvious, but it's worth mentioning because human-centric leaders are also driven by data and results that benefit everyone ‒ not just themselves! They are sensitive about it, focus on creating a positive impact in the world, and strive to make a lasting difference. This doesn't mean they're perfect or that they don't make mistakes along the way. What matters most is that they learn from their errors and passionately continue moving forward with the intention of leaving things better than they found them.
Remember that human-centric leadership is not a solo sport. The triggering effort starts with you, and the whole team needs to participate for anything to be successful. You need others to help you fulfill your vision and bring your ideas to life. By being passionate in your communication about your strategic intent to create your Northstar, you can truly energize your team to strive towards the same goals. So, surround yourself with people who will challenge you, push you outside of your comfort zone, and make you better! When constantly learning and growing from the people around us, it becomes easier to lead by example, inspire and enable those who follow in our footsteps.
These are the five pillars of C²LEA²R that I live by daily and share with my clients and community.
Are you a human-centric leader? Do you have what it takes to be one? I challenge you to practice these five pillars and see how your leadership skills evolve!
You want to learn more about human-centric leadership or how to become a better leader, I invite you to follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and visit my website for more info! I offer coaching and consulting services for individuals and organizations who are ready to take their leadership skills to the next level!
Britta Lorenz, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Britta Lorenz is a leadership coach, mentor, and consultant. With her human-centric approach, she focuses on the 3 P's - People, Purpose, and Performance. Moreover, Britta is the creator of the C²LEA²R framework for leadership. She founded her company, Britta Lorenz – Be Human, to empower people on their journey to excellence. Britta supports all humans from initially identifying their purpose, values, and vision to synthesizing an action plan to influence change at all levels: individually, teams, and organizations. Her mission is to guide people to reach their leadership potential by embracing human-centric approaches.
