22 REAL-LEADERS.COM / SPRING 2022 LEADERSHIP D enial, anger, bargaining, and depression have all been in the mix of emotions experienced in the last two years. Still, after each of these, it has inevitably come to the final stage of acceptance for many. For Google, that moment seemingly came in May 2021 when, after its latest plan to open offices was disrupted yet again by spiraling COVID-19 cases, it threw its proverbial hands in the air and accepted that there was no way of knowing if or when normal business would resume. The remote and hybrid work genie is officially out of the bottle and settling in for the long stay. It will inevitably impact how leaders view the years to come and what attitudes, skills, and adaptations to their practices will be needed to best navigate and excel in the new world of work. The second major reckoning coming to leaders is the need to filter major and minor decisions through the lens of their resulting social and environmental impact. With a recent PWC report finding that 83% of consumers think companies should be actively shaping ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) best practices rather than reacting and adjusting, not only is there an urgent moral argument for leaders to get their houses in order quickly, but a compelling business case. So how will these dynamic forces that are instigating once-in-ageneration change impact leaders in 2022? MUCH LIKE THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF, THE DRAMATIC LOSS OF TRADITIONAL WORKPLACES AS THE FOUNDATIONS OF THEIR BUSINESSES HAS TAKEN LEADERS ON A HEADY EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER. HERE’S HOW THINGS MAY RESOLVE IN THE YEAR AHEAD. By Jessica Nordlander HEADS UP: 3 LEADERSHIP TRENDS FOR 2022 GETTY IMAGES / KLAUS VEDFELT
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