The author highlights the critical skills, "powerskills," that leaders need to provide the right support for the transformations they lead.

When it comes to leadership, it is easy to think only of technical skills and specific knowledge. However, with the evolution of Lean Management, a new set of skills is emerging as essential for leaders. These skills not only help foster a Lean culture, but also create a healthier and more productive work environment.

Powerskills refer to those behavioral skills that are critical to an individual's personal and professional development. Some even consider powerskills as a combination of "hard skills" and "soft skills," a powerful combination that sets individuals apart.

Leading a team is not an easy task and requires a set of skills and practices to be implemented in various situations in day-to-day operations. In a Lean-transformation, people must always be at the center, which requires leaders to stay up-to-date and alert when things are not going well.

There are six key power skills that most leaders lack in the development and business transformations we have seen over the past two decades. This directly and negatively affects not only the results and sustainability of the gains made, but also the morale of the teams they lead and the work environment they are in.

Of course, we cannot define leaders based solely on the presence or absence of these six competencies, but by pursuing and strengthening their skills, we can nurture them to achieve deeper and long-awaited cultural change.

1. Creating psychologically safe environments One of the most important skill leaders must develop is the ability to promote psychological safety. This involves creating an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their opinions and ideas without fear of retribution or judgment. Psychological safety is crucial to promoting innovation and continuous learning because it allows people to share their experiences and mistakes without hesitation.

It is essential to understand that psychological security is not about mere comfort or the belief that all will be well. It is about building a workspace based on honesty and transparency. It is an environment where making mistakes or asking for help is encouraged, making the process of taking risks and facing challenges more attractive to all team members. Moreover, it is a space where everyone can be themselves without any fear of judgment.

2. Learning from failures and mistakes to accelerate change and innovation In Lean-transformation journeys, experimentation and failure are much more common than one might think. Important changes and tools known to thousands of practitioners worldwide have come from failures experienced in various situations.

We are constantly faced with two "cultures of failure": one that encourages us to avoid failure at all costs and one that encourages us to fail quickly and often. Lean-leadership must understand that failure is an inevitable part of the learning process. When we fail, we are confronted with our limitations and mistakes, allowing us to identify areas that need improvement. By analyzing our mistakes, we can understand what we did wrong and find solutions for improvement-a concept we can call "smart failure."

3. Trust and genuine connections Lean-leaders must build trust with their team members, through honesty and transparency, and by keeping promises. When team members trust their leaders, they become more motivated and engaged, leading to increased productivity and quality of work.

In addition, Lean-leaders must create meaningful connections with their team members. This includes actively listening, showing empathy and being present. By authentically connecting with their team members, leaders can better understand their needs and concerns, allowing them to provide more effective support.

You can start practicing "little ethics" daily: saying good morning, good afternoon, good evening; asking for permission, using "please," being grateful, and so on.

4. Lead with respect to foster inclusive environments Respect is another fundamental "power skill" for Lean leaders. This means treating and valuing all team members with dignity, regardless of their position or role. Leaders should recognize and value the contributions of each individual, promoting an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

Respect is not just about treating people humanely; it is about each team member critically evaluating themselves and their work, striving for continuous improvement. It includes more listening, challenging, supporting, working with horizontal teams, learning, teaching, and being where the work happens - leadership practices that embody the Lean-vision of respect.

Leading with respect must be grounded in affirmative action to create a diverse and inclusive environment that allows everyone to participate, ensures equality in starting points, creates spaces for dialogue and collaboration, and enhances the exercise of citizenship.

It is worth noting that diversity and inclusion are closely linked to social context; in other words, the greater the inclusion, the greater the diversity.

5. Observe more, judge less Lean-leaders need to be aware of unconscious biases. This means recognizing that everyone tends to make judgments based on unconscious stereotypes or biases. By being aware of these biases, leaders can take steps to avoid them and make fair and impartial decisions.

Everyone faces challenges, right? Do you also have your own challenges? Are there people on your team with difficult life stories, sick children, chronic pain, depression, addiction to social media, etc.? It is essential to remember that these individuals are often unaware of the problems they have or the resulting behaviors. Other times, they struggle with these problems daily but just can't solve them.

You are not a judge; you are a leader. Instead of judging their actions, observe their behavior and help them when they need you. Be present, supportive, and if you must judge something, judge the results you and your team collectively achieve.

     6. Lead by example Last, but certainly not least, Lean-leaders should set an example for their team. They should embody Lean-principles in their own work and behavior, showing others what can be achieved. By leading by example, leaders can inspire and motivate their team members to adopt a Lean-mindset and strive for excellence.

"Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you are saying." This quote is attributed to American writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, and I've always seen it as an interesting way to explain hypocrisy and inconsistency. Have you ever heard someone talk about ethics when their actions were completely unethical? Like a doctor who smokes and advises patients not to, or an intolerant religious leader? There is often excessive talk in an attempt to compensate for a lack of action.

If you want people to meet deadlines, meet your own deadlines. If you want everyone to be on time for the meeting, be the first one there. If you want your company to eliminate waste and generate more value, stand side by side with your team in this quest.

Without proper leadership preparation, progress on an organization's most challenging problems will be limited. Our close observation of every training program we support in companies in Brazil and around the world highlights the increasing pressures facing leaders. Accelerated transformations and short-term financial improvement actions remain crucial, but social demands and concern for individuals require greater attention.

If the company believes that people are its most valuable asset and wants to have the right attitude toward them, HR and business leaders should invest time and effort in creating a workplace where everyone is valued and respected. This approach creates psychologically safe environments for employees, making them feel comfortable expressing their opinions, ideas and concerns. This, in turn, fosters engagement and collaboration among team members.

Leaders who can change minds and hearts are more successful in creating value for customers. On the one hand, today's professionals expect more autonomy, participation in strategic decisions and flexibility. On the other hand, they have not yet developed the skills to solve complex problems and manage powerskills related to human relationships that were previously neglected.

For all these reasons, our efforts have focused on training new leaders, starting at the top, because everything begins with the behavior of senior leadership. A company's culture largely reflects the culture of its leaders.