Essential Leadership Skills Required for Success in the Future
In a world that's constantly in flux, leaders find themselves navigating new challenges and opportunities at an alarming pace. To keep up and thrive, they need to be flexible, always honing their skillset. Technology proficiency and sustainability knowledge will undoubtedly be vital for leaders' success in the future.
But what other skills should these leaders of tomorrow possess? Here's a quick rundown:
1. Tap into purpose
In these times of uncertainty, where resilience and adaptability are being put to the test, purpose-driven leaders are demonstrating that success and societal benefit can coexist. Marga Hoek, an environmental storyteller and author of Tech for Good and The Trillion Dollar Shift, emphasizes the importance of purpose-driven innovation in building robust consumer trust, market differentiation, and internal cohesion. However, Hoek stresses that authentic purpose extends beyond mere platitudes, shapes day-to-day operations, and informs strategic decisions.
2. Read subtle signals of distress
As artificial intelligence (AI) automates more tasks, it becomes crucial for leaders to pay attention to their teams and spot problems early, argues Philip Atkinson, an organizational coach and beekeeper. By learning from nature, leaders can detect signs of distress from their teams and intervene proactively. In hives, for example, bees communicate distress subtly, and leaders should emulate this close listening, careful observation, and thoughtful response.
3. Delegate to people and technology
Leaders who insist on doing everything themselves will never reach their full potential, says Gary Beckwith, author of How To Make A Million In Business. By writing things down, hiring smart people, training staff, and learning to trust the systems they've built, leaders can streamline their businesses and unlock their true potential.
4. Be adaptable
Adaptability is a vital skill for leaders, enabling them to thrive amidst technological changes and the demands of the modern workplace. Chetan Dube, an agentic AI pioneer, emphasizes the importance of working closely with employees to reskill and upskill them as businesses adopt new technologies.
5. Lead with ethics
Future leaders will need strong ethical foresight and decision-making skills, maintains Sabrina Bushe, an associate partner at organizational ethics advisory firm Principia. In a world marked by complexity and high-stakes decisions with no easy answers, leaders must hone their ability to anticipate ethically challenging situations and make well-reasoned decisions that foster trust and uphold their organization's ethical integrity.
In this ever-evolving world, it's the adaptable, purpose-driven leaders who possess strong human skills that will rise to the top and steer their organizations towards success. Don't get left behind – start cultivating these essential skills today!
- For leaders in the future, having a strong focus on sustainability could be a crucial skillset that complements their leadership skills, as it will not only contribute to the success of their organizations but also help build robust consumer trust and internal cohesion.
- To lead successfully in the future, foresight is essential, as leaders should be able to anticipate ethically challenging situations and make well-reasoned decisions that foster trust and uphold their organization's ethical integrity, even in increasingly complex environments.
- Leaders need to demonstrate flexibility, adapting to new technologies and workplace demands, and delegating tasks effectively to their teams and technology, as this will help streamline businesses, unlock potential, and ensure success in Tokyo and beyond.