In conversation with Amanda Sinclair, Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Business School and expert in leadership, change and diversity.

1. We’re all the same
size on screen
In conversation with Amanda Sinclair,
Professorial Fellow at Melbourne
Business School and expert in
leadership, change and diversity
As organizations adjust to new ways of working,
what makes great leadership?
Amanda Sinclair is a widely published author
who is recognized in academic and corporate
circles as a pioneer in diversity and women in
leadership. We asked her what leaders need to
focus on in a hybrid environment, and what that
environment means for inclusivity.
Is leadership changing as employers move to
a hybrid model?
What this experience has shown us is that leaders
must have ways of empowering their people. You can’t
watch over them or keep them under surveillance:
you need to show them you trust them and care about
them. And make them feel like they have a voice – that
they can speak truth to power.
This all calls for a different kind of leadership. In the
past, managers were rewarded for being focused on
the output at any cost, rather than thinking about
how to get there together with their team. That will
have to change.
Amanda Sinclair
Professorial Fellow at Melbourne
Business School and expert in leadership,
change and diversity
“
The question that’s come
up for many employees is,
“Are we trusted to work at
home?” Leaders need to be
able to show that they are.”

2. So what do you think is leaders’ most important
characteristic now?
The thing that has emerged time and time again is
the importance of trust, which has been a fascinating
one to watch play out politically.
A really great example is Jacinda Ardern, New
Zealand’s Prime Minister: she’s demonstrated an
extraordinary level of trust in her community and an
amazing responsiveness to them. And research has
also shown that the reason Denmark, for instance,
has had a high compliance rate with Covid-19
restrictions is trust in the government.
In the workplace, the question that’s come up for
many employees is, “Are we trusted to work at home?”
Leaders need to be able to show that they are.
Do you think leaders already have the skills
to cope with this new working environment,
or do they need to up-skill?
The whole portfolio of important leadership skills
has changed radically. What is crucial now is the
capacity to be present, as opposed to just focusing
on future goals. I think that that’s now become a bit
of a liability, because it’s been impossible to plan.
So leaders need to have much better ways of tracking
the changing experiences of their customers and
employees, and then be very responsive to them.
It’s about listening and flexibility.
The other area that leaders will need to be attuned
to is equality as there’s a real risk that hybrid models
might intensify power differences. Ensuring everyone
has a voice and an opportunity to contribute –
regardless of their physical location – will be a critical
skill moving forward.
The whole portfolio of
important leadership skills
has changed radically.
What is crucial now is the
capacity to be present, as
opposed to just focusing
on future goals.”
“
Amanda Sinclair
Professorial Fellow at Melbourne
Business School and expert in leadership,
change and diversity

3. You specialize in diversity in leadership. Do you
think hybrid working offers any opportunities to
accelerate inclusivity?
It’s been fascinating to watch the rise of people who
don’t normally think of themselves as leaders – such
as health community managers and scientists.
Historically, we’ve had this notion of the tall male
heroic leader, which can be a seductive model for many
of us – especially in a crisis. But the leaders who have
stepped forward over the past 18 months have often
not fitted that mold. I hope we’ve all expanded our
ideas of leadership.
Evidence also shows that some women and people
from diverse cultural backgrounds have felt more
comfortable participating while at home. I know that
in my work, a virtual classroom often feels more
‘equal’ than a physical classroom: we’re all the same
size on screen. You don’t have that same sense of
physical dominance that can sometimes get in the
way of open, authentic interaction.
With skillful management, those benefits can continue
as companies move to hybrid models. And that’s
a wonderful thing – that this might enable more
inclusivity and the democratization of teams.
This article is part of Sodexo’s ‘Experience Next’ thought
leadership series on the work-life transformation.
Do you have what
it takes to respond
to the evolving needs
of your workforce?
To learn more visit:
www.sodexo.com