6 “Must Have” Leadership Skills for 2024

Looking back at 2023, those of us in the senior living industry can all agree that the year revolved around change. We saw AI and generative AI make huge advances, new return-to-office requirements, talent recruitment hiccups, political challenges, and the threat of a recession. This past year has thrown more than its fair share of curve balls and unpredictability at senior care leaders up and down the corporate ladder.

Now, we’re gearing up for 2024 and it’s evident that the leadership skills we need in our workplace are changing. As senior living recruiters, we’re focusing on 6 leadership skills that need to be honed in order to succeed in 2024:

Adaptability
Adaptability is crucial as a leadership skill because it enables leaders to navigate the ever-changing business landscape and dynamic environments as well as seize opportunities and mitigate risks. Markets, technologies, and consumers evolve quickly, and leaders need to be equipped to steer their organizations through these changes.

Tech Savvy
Technology is changing at warp speed and these advancements require a continuous learning mindset for leaders. Tech savvy leaders are able to adapt, navigate, and drive this transformation, ensuring that their organizations make strategic decisions to stay competitive. In addition, these leaders can implement the right technologies for talent recruitment and efficiency thus, optimizing talent acquisition, workflows, and productivity.

Tech savvy leaders also know technology plays a crucial role in understanding and engaging with customers. They can leverage digital platforms to enhance customer experiences and build stronger relationships.

Emotional Intelligence
Simply put, emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to identify and regulate one’s emotions and understand the emotions of others. Experts emphasize that leaders should continue to hone their EI skills, especially empathy, in 2024. Empathy includes the ability to relate to workers and making more allowances for people’s personal circumstances. Overall, EI is a critical leadership skill as it enhances communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and overall team dynamics. The result is a healthier and more productive work environment.

Communication
Leaders aren’t just bosses. They are the people who communicate the long-term vision for the company at every level. Leaders who have effective communication skills create a good rapport between themselves and their teams. The result is increased productivity, efficiency, and staff retention. How does it promote retention? If leaders communicate to show their teams the vital role they play and how they can all get there by working together, this creates greater cohesion among workers. Great communication skills are not all about being a great talker. Most often, it’s about being a great listener. People need to be heard. Good listeners show that they value their team’s opinions. Plus, by listening, leaders can foster open communication within their teams and create an environment of trust and respect.

Authenticity
Authentic leadership is a modern approach to leadership. It emphasizes transparency, genuineness, and honesty. Authentic leaders build genuine connections and relationships with their staff by inspiring trust and fostering a positive work environment. They’re motivators and inspire their staff to succeed. During challenging times, authentic leaders instill confidence by being real about a situation and providing a steady hand at the wheel. They also encourage a positive culture where team members feel they can express their ideas without judgement and where they know their well-being is a top priority.

Conflict Resolution
Conflicts are a threat to healthy work environments and employee relationships. In turn, it decreases productivity. Therefore, solving conflicts is a key leadership skill that helps to successfully maintain workplace productivity and morale. A leader needs to be able to recognize, understand, and manage a conflict in order to provide a path to a positive outcome plus, re-establish harmony on the team.

As we head towards 2024, effective senior living leadership will require honed skill sets. By developing adaptability, technological know-how, emotional intelligence, communication, authenticity, and conflict resolution, leaders can lead with confidence and inspire teams and senior living organizations to greatness.

For more info or an immediate talent need, contact us at 727-526-1294 / bmiller@medbest.com.

ABOUT JULIE RUPENSKI

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting. Since opening its doors in 2001, Julie has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including INC 5000 2021 and Tampa Bay Fast 50 2021 and Top Interim Services Provider 2023!  In addition, Julie was named as one of the “Top 100 Women Leaders in Tampa 2022″ by Women We Admire.

MedBest has gained national recognition due to Julie’s industry expertise and high level of success. Julie has an in-depth knowledge of the senior living / long term care industry.  She previously worked in operations for both senior housing and senior living prior to founding MedBest. Today, Julie and her industry-savvy team of recruiters, make it their mission to place exceptional industry executives in senior living positions where they have the greatest impact.

ABOUT MEDBEST
MedBest is an award-winning national Executive Search Firm exclusive to the Senior Living / Long Term Care Industry. For more than two decades, we have connected senior living / long term care organizations with exceptional senior living executive talent for both permanent and interim roles. MedBest was named as a Top 10 Interim Services Provider 2023! In addition, we were one of American’s top companies by Inc.5000 and a Tampa Fast 50 Company in 2021! MedBest is a member of the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS), National Investment Center for Senior House (NIC), and American Staffing Association (ASA). Contact MedBest at 727-526-1294