Organizations struggle to find the right balance between efficiency and human contact, while hybrid working only increases the challenges. Turbulent times that call for a new vision on leadership. The traditional top-down approach, in which one leadership style is sufficient for all situations, no longer appears to be effective. Modern teams need customization and personal attention, while many managers struggle to find the right approach. “You have to treat others the way they want to be treated, not the way you want to be treated,” says Mike van Toll, managing partner at Kenneth Smit.
In practice, Van Toll often sees that new managers are chosen based on seniority rather than capabilities. “People are not so much selected on their competencies, but more on the idea: you have been here for a long time, so now you get the stage.” The result is that these new managers often act on their gut feeling, without having the right skills to lead a team. “We regularly see that teams crumble because of this. People do not feel heard, have different ideas about the approach and ultimately choose to look for another position within or outside the organization.”
Creative in maintaining contact
The challenges are even greater due to hybrid working. Teams are no longer complete in the office every day and the bond between employees is under pressure. “A short phone call under the guise of 'how are you?' is not enough,” warns Van Toll. “People need that personal contact, that pat on the back.” He advises managers to be creative in maintaining contact.
“Take a walk with someone, have a cup of coffee together. It doesn’t always have to be a formal conversation at your desk. By offering different settings, you increase the chance that people feel comfortable sharing their concerns,” says Van Toll. He emphasizes that this is not soft management, but an essential part of effective leadership. “If you miss these signals and people overstep their boundaries, you will ultimately pay a much higher price – both humanly and professionally.”
This personal approach is essential for early detection of potential problems. “There are few people who indicate themselves that they are on the verge of a burnout,” Van Toll explains. “As a manager, you have to learn to look for the subtle signals. People who make mistakes, who indicate that they can’t see the forest for the trees, or who become noticeably quiet. These are all potential warning signals that you only pick up if you have regular, real contact with your people.”
Recognizing these signals requires more than just attention—it requires a fundamental understanding of human behavior and team dynamics. “Some 96 to 98 percent of what we do is unconscious. As a leader, you have to look not only at what people say, but also at what they don’t say. It’s the small changes in behavior, work patterns, and interactions with colleagues.” These observations become even more challenging in a hybrid work environment, where much of communication is digital and nonverbal cues are less visible.
Sales professional must be able to think along
Leadership plays an important role not only within internal teams, but also in commercial functions such as sales. Expectations are also changing there and a new approach is needed. Research shows that 27 percent of the purchasing process already takes place online. In order to influence this, it requires different skills from the salesperson to ensure that you are also visible to customers online in the right way and that they cannot ignore you. Toughtleadership, being known as a knowledge leader in the market. “The old-fashioned sales representative who made forty appointments a week and drank a cup of coffee everywhere is becoming redundant. Much more is expected of a sales professional. They must be able to think along with the customer as a partner about the problems.”
You should treat others the way they want to be treated, not the way you want to be treated
This shift requires a new form of leadership within sales teams. “It’s no longer about imposing targets,” Van Toll emphasizes. “You have to involve people in the process. Ask them how they think they can contribute to achieving the objectives. Let them think about their approach themselves. This creates ownership and commitment. It may sound scary to let go of that control, but teams that are managed in this way are often much more successful than teams where everything is imposed from above.”
The new generation of employees requires a different approach. They do not want to sit in the office five days a week and attach more value to personal development. “You must have people with intrinsic motivation,” Van Toll emphasizes. “Because if that motivation is not there, you will push instead of creating a pull. It is crucial that people consciously choose a role or function, and not because they happened to fall into it.”
How to best develop skills
Kenneth Smit distinguishes himself by not only focusing on knowledge transfer, but especially on practical application. “Knowledge is important, but ultimately you have to apply it and make it your own,” Van Toll explains. “You can read a book about tennis, but that doesn’t make you a top tennis player. We always look at the goal first: where does an organization want to go? Then we map out the current situation: where are the people now? Only then do we determine which skills and processes are needed to achieve that goal and how we can best develop them.”
About 96 to 98 percent of what we do, we do unconsciously. You also have to learn to feel when something is not right
This also applies to the development of thought leadership, a concept that is becoming increasingly important in the commercial world. “As a professional, you have to make sure that you are seen as a knowledge leader in your field,” Van Toll advises. “But here too, the following applies: remain authentic. It should not become smooth marketing talk. People see through that. Share your own experiences, your own vision. That is much more valuable than pre-digested content.”
Van Toll illustrates this with a practical example: “One of our clients struggled with retaining young sales talent. The traditional approach of weekly targets and strict reporting was counterproductive. By talking to these young people, we discovered that they mainly needed autonomy and personal growth. We then adjusted the entire performance management system, shifting the focus from pure figures to development and impact. This approach helped the company to better retain talent and had a positive impact on performance.”
These kinds of transformations require courage from leaders. “It’s scary to let go of familiar systems,” Van Toll acknowledges. “But when you see how much energy it releases in people when they are given the space to contribute to the organization’s goals in their own way, then you know it’s the right choice.”
For the future, Van Toll sees challenges in bridging generational differences. “We shouldn’t cling to the idea that our way is the only right way. Take, for example, the way younger generations communicate. We can tell them to learn how to make calls, but perhaps we should look at how we can use their communication style. Let’s see what we can learn from the new generation.”
This open attitude typifies Van Toll's vision of modern leadership. It is not about imposing one style or approach, but about finding ways to connect different generations, work styles and forms of communication. "If you look at everything that is changing in the world, you cannot help but conclude that flexibility and adaptability are crucial qualities for modern leaders. But this does not mean that you should deny yourself. On the contrary: by remaining authentic and being open to change, you can make a difference as a leader."
Difference between good and great leadership
This is even more true in times of great change. “If an organization invests in employee training, we always tell those people: your employer is happy with you, because otherwise he would never invest in your personal development,” says Van Toll. “That is logical: if you are not happy with your people, you have to make different choices. But if you do believe in them, help them to develop further. Show them what they are already doing well, make them aware of that, and see together how they can become even more effective.”
It is this combination of authenticity, openness to change and genuine attention to people that makes the difference between good and excellent leadership. In a time when technology and efficiency often dominate, the human aspect is more important than ever. “The great thing is that if you really invest in people, they can often do and want to do much more than you had previously thought.”
