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Managing People in Turbulent Times: How Will the New Normal Look Like?

May 22-2020   



 

The NSD MBA Lecture by Prof. Dirk Buyens named as Managing People in Turbulent Times: How Will the New Normal Look Like? and an MBA introduction session was held online on 16th May. The lecture series is organized by the MBA Center of the BiMBA Business School of the National School of Development at Peking University. Prof. Dirk Buyens is a professor of the Peking University - Vlerick MBA Program.

The ways of our working will never be the same as in the past because of coronavirus. Prof. Buyens took us on a journey to redefine the psychological contract, to discover the nature of leadership, to learn the psychology of “unlearning” and to learn how to behave as a leader in the new normal. All in all, Prof. Buyens tried to give MBA candidates and perspectives some practical tips on how to behave properly as a leader after the coronavirus crisis.

The lecture consisted of four parts. Part one: to rethink the social-psychological contract, discover the nature of the relationship between employees and employers. Part two: to discover the nature of leadership, esp. after the coronavirus crisis. Part three: to introduce the methodology of how to behave after the crisis. Part four: to show how will the world look like after the crisis and help leaders to deal with it.

 

Part One: What is the Psychological Contract.

To help understand “psychological contract”, Prof. Dirk Buyens took an “Iceberg model”, which demonstrates the underlined relationship of work (employees’ inputs) and pay (employers’ rewards). Because of coronavirus, Prof. Buyens gave 6 practical pieces of advice to cope with changes: accept the wake-up call, become a tech guru, visibility is the key, diversify, keep up the connections, and recognize the changes.

 

Part Two: The Nature of Leadership in & after the Crisis.

How to deal with the coronavirus crisis as a leader? According to Prof. Buyens, we should accept what has happened, recognize new opportunities, stop being panic, and turn for actions, develop a post-crisis future vision. In times of crisis, “collaborative leadership” is needed. You need to get prepared for your future.

 

Part Three: The Psychology of “Unlearning”.

In this part, Prof. Dirk Buyens aimed to tell people to throw away their “old” habits, which is no longer needed in & after the crisis. Getting used to working in a brand-new environment is a must: while it’s stable but getting complex and cumulative in knowledge. Management psychology needs to be revised to survive in such an environment. In the post-crisis times, you need to build up your neuroplasticity, and to rewire your brain to adjust to changes. “The harder you try, the more you are motivated; the more alert you are, the bigger the brain you change.”

 

Part Four: What Will the New Normal Look Like, When Talking About “Managing People”?

Prof. Dirk Buyens went through the theories and practices of how to behave as a leader in the new normal when everything that is “normal” in the past might be redefined in the future. In the new normal, leaders are required to be more result-oriented, have clear goals, and give regular feedback, show connecting behaviors, express strategic vision, and manage fear. Prof. Buyens encouraged us to get prepared for post-coronavirus times.

 

Managing People in Turbulent Times: How Will the New Normal Look Like?

May 22-2020   



 

The NSD MBA Lecture by Prof. Dirk Buyens named as Managing People in Turbulent Times: How Will the New Normal Look Like? and an MBA introduction session was held online on 16th May. The lecture series is organized by the MBA Center of the BiMBA Business School of the National School of Development at Peking University. Prof. Dirk Buyens is a professor of the Peking University - Vlerick MBA Program.

The ways of our working will never be the same as in the past because of coronavirus. Prof. Buyens took us on a journey to redefine the psychological contract, to discover the nature of leadership, to learn the psychology of “unlearning” and to learn how to behave as a leader in the new normal. All in all, Prof. Buyens tried to give MBA candidates and perspectives some practical tips on how to behave properly as a leader after the coronavirus crisis.

The lecture consisted of four parts. Part one: to rethink the social-psychological contract, discover the nature of the relationship between employees and employers. Part two: to discover the nature of leadership, esp. after the coronavirus crisis. Part three: to introduce the methodology of how to behave after the crisis. Part four: to show how will the world look like after the crisis and help leaders to deal with it.

 

Part One: What is the Psychological Contract.

To help understand “psychological contract”, Prof. Dirk Buyens took an “Iceberg model”, which demonstrates the underlined relationship of work (employees’ inputs) and pay (employers’ rewards). Because of coronavirus, Prof. Buyens gave 6 practical pieces of advice to cope with changes: accept the wake-up call, become a tech guru, visibility is the key, diversify, keep up the connections, and recognize the changes.

 

Part Two: The Nature of Leadership in & after the Crisis.

How to deal with the coronavirus crisis as a leader? According to Prof. Buyens, we should accept what has happened, recognize new opportunities, stop being panic, and turn for actions, develop a post-crisis future vision. In times of crisis, “collaborative leadership” is needed. You need to get prepared for your future.

 

Part Three: The Psychology of “Unlearning”.

In this part, Prof. Dirk Buyens aimed to tell people to throw away their “old” habits, which is no longer needed in & after the crisis. Getting used to working in a brand-new environment is a must: while it’s stable but getting complex and cumulative in knowledge. Management psychology needs to be revised to survive in such an environment. In the post-crisis times, you need to build up your neuroplasticity, and to rewire your brain to adjust to changes. “The harder you try, the more you are motivated; the more alert you are, the bigger the brain you change.”

 

Part Four: What Will the New Normal Look Like, When Talking About “Managing People”?

Prof. Dirk Buyens went through the theories and practices of how to behave as a leader in the new normal when everything that is “normal” in the past might be redefined in the future. In the new normal, leaders are required to be more result-oriented, have clear goals, and give regular feedback, show connecting behaviors, express strategic vision, and manage fear. Prof. Buyens encouraged us to get prepared for post-coronavirus times.