Sandrine Bromberg, director of Natixis’ Purple Academy,
head of leadership development and managerial support

What can we learn from this crisis? How can we best adapt to this “new normal”? How can we encourage team members and maintain the expected standard of performance?

In this podcast, Sandrine Bromberg, director of Natixis’ Purple Academy, head of leadership development and managerial support, sheds light on the new challenges faced by leaders as a result of the pandemic. The widespread adoption of hybrid work, combining remote activity and on-site attendance, has moved the goalposts. In particular it has given the leader cause to consider their role and their interactions with their teams differently, and therefore to act differently: the leader “has had to change their preconceptions, challenge their habits, and modify their practices”, explains Sandrine Bromberg.

What aspects of leadership need to be developed in order to reinvent the relationship between leaders and team members?

For Sandrine Bromberg, leaders should now more than ever focus on sharing their vision to give their teams direction, especially in moments of uncertainty, and reestablish a sense of cohesion even when working remotely. Another essential element for maintaining commitment and performance is the development of confidence and empathy. “One solution for the manager to keep the right distance is to develop greater listening abilities, a greater degree of empathy, and especially more truthfulness” reveals Sandrine Bromberg.

With regard to support for leaders, in this period of unpredictable and rapid change which is proving to be a fundamental trend, Sandrine refers to the new initiatives already in place and those to come, which will support leaders in their role. These include strategies such as best practice exchange workshops or flash surveys for example, to closely monitor teams’ morale.