The emergence of the hybrid workplace has caused some CEOs and company presidents to alter how they communicate with their employees. But the core principles that define who they are as leaders remain relatively constant.

Before a business CEO can successfully lead employees, he or she needs to understand the needs of employees and customers and possess the talent to forge a strategy that serves multiple stakeholders.

As businesses set their goals for 2024, the fourth quarter is a good time to analyze what kind of leadership will be needed to navigate an uncertain economy and chaotic political environment in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, several accomplished executives have shared their leadership lessons during Twin Cities Business interviews.

They’ve talked about leading employees, managing themselves, serving customers, and building healthy workplace cultures. Here are eight key takeaways that can be applied to people who lead companies and work teams:

Define a vision and don’t micromanage. Marv Goldklang, an attorney and former principal owner of the St. Paul Saints, said: “The ultimate secret to success is hiring the right people, providing them with a sense of your vision for what the organization can become, and then staying the hell out of the way.”

Communicate regularly with employees and place a high priority on substantive messages. Matt Kucharski, Padilla president, said: “If you don’t communicate effectively, people aren’t going to change behavior, and you won’t accomplish business outcomes.”

Be transparent with employees about company challenges. Kucharski also said: “Good leaders are acknowledging when they don’t have everything figured out. The leader expresses the vision, expresses where they want to go, but may say that they need help in getting there.”

Humility is a vital character trait. Geoff Martha, Medtronic CEO and chairman, said: “Humility is one of the core things that I look for in people and try to emulate myself. Humble people tend to listen more and learn more. The people who have the highest impact are active learners. People don’t like to work for arrogant people.”

Live your values on a daily basis. Beth Wozniak, nVent CEO and chair, said: “We want to win, but we want to do it in the right way, with integrity, respect, and teamwork. You can develop a more diverse organization when you have diverse leaders. People early in their career want to be able to look up and see people who look like them, to know that they can aspire to those positions.”

Professional development and mentorship will yield business results. Kim Nelson, a former 30-year employee and senior executive of General Mills, said: “I felt like General Mills was invested in me. They cared whether I came or went, and they believed in me. Everything I learned about leadership, about innovation, about motivating and inspiring teams, they taught me.”

Organizational culture requires nurturing. Bill Guerin, Minnesota Wild general manager, said: “We have a bunch of players, coaches, and hockey operations staff who are all in it together. There is no personal agenda. It’s all about winning. Culture is a living and breathing thing. If you don’t keep your thumb on it every single day, it can get away from you.”

Laughter belongs in the workplace. Guerin also said: “This job is hard enough, playing is hard enough, everything we do, life is tough enough. You’ve got to laugh. And you have to be able to laugh at yourself.”