Felt leadership - a leadership style that works

I have worked in multiple corporate houses. At times worked very closely with the business leaders. In my interactions with many business leaders during the course of my career - I have learnt that the leaders were very different from ordinary managers. They break stereotypes in thoughts and they always have a plan to convert thoughts to actions. There has been several tried and tested leadership styles that worked for the most efficient leaders. Some became billionaires in decades, some when they were just teenagers. Let me try to take a dive into one such leadership style - 'Felt leadership'. Felt Leadership is an approach to leadership emphasizing the importance of engagement, personal connection and purposeful actions to enhance productivity and increase efficiency in achieving organizational and team goals. The concept that has gained significant attention in recent years is a leadership style that is focused on building strong emotional connections between leaders and followers. The term "felt" refers to the deep emotional connections that leaders are able to create with their followers. This type of leadership is often associated with transformational leadership and is considered to be an effective approach to leadership in modern organizations. Felt leadership is all about creating a sense of purpose and meaning for followers. Leaders who practice this style of leadership are able to inspire their followers to work towards a common goal. They are able to do this by being authentic, transparent, and empathetic towards their followers. Felt leaders are able to create a sense of trust and safety, which allows their followers to be vulnerable and open to new ideas. The key elements of felt leadership can be summarized to be - 1. Effective communication (They seek to understan d and then they work their way to be understood) 2. Engagement culture (Synergize) 3. Create a heirarchy where people own the outcome of their work - the leader leads the same as an example One of the key elements of felt leadership is the ability to communicate effectively. Leaders who practice this style of leadership are able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and concisely. They are also able to listen actively to their followers and provide feedback that is constructive and meaningful. Effective communication is essential for creating a strong emotional connection with followers. Another important aspect of felt leadership is the ability to be present and engaged with followers. Leaders who practice this style of leadership are able to create a sense of community and belonging. They are able to do this by being accessible and approachable, and by creating opportunities for followers to engage with one another. Felt leaders also understand the importance of empowering their followers. They are able to delegate tasks and responsibilities to their followers, and provide them with the support and resources they need to succeed. By doing this, felt leaders are able to create a sense of ownership and accountability among their followers, which helps to drive motivation and engagement. Second to this, once communicated, how do leaders keep managers accountable and measure them to ensure that they are indeed following the direction that was set by the leader? Communication and measurement play a critical role in ensuring an effective felt leadership. Finally, felt leadership is all about leading by example. Leaders who practice this style of leadership are able to model the behavior they expect from their followers. They are able to demonstrate a strong work ethic, a commitment to excellence, and a willingness to take risks. By doing this, felt leaders are able to inspire their followers to do the same. In conclusion, felt leadership is a powerful approach to leadership that is focused on building strong emotional connections with followers. It is all about creating a sense of purpose, meaning, and community, and empowering followers to achieve their full potential. Felt leaders are authentic, transparent, empathetic, and committed to communicating effectively. They are present and engaged with their followers, and they lead by example. By practicing felt leadership, leaders can create a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration that helps to drive success in modern organizations.