What traits do you think a company leader will need most in the next decade? Will age stop being a factor all together?
In general the traits make up a great leader don't change. If these are the core:
- Master working through ambiguity
- Inspire the confidence of others
- Believe in the future and be able to communicate it
- Have a deep passion for results
- Have unwavering integrity
- Set others up for success
- Have a strong ego...not a big one
- Have the courage to make decisions
What other traits will new leaders need to have? Are any of these regaining their importance?
Answers (11)
Ray M
Energy expert, educator, award winning sculptor
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accountability
integrity
adaptability
willingness to learn and change
I doubt age is ever as big a factor as people think it is in business leadership.
There are always the young dynamics leaders and the old "sages".
Ravindran G
Senior Application Development Consultant, Premier Developer Advisory Services at Microsoft Corporation
Kesley, All the traits you have mentioned are relevant but age will be relevant in terms of experience. Chronologically, someone like Facebook's founder might be 23 but he is in 40s when it comes to industry experience.
The major challenges leaders of the near future will face are perseverance, forethought and vision to be successful in exponential times. With everything changing so fast, leaders will have to rely more on timeless principles of integrity, good relationships and risk-taking. The more dynamic and flat the world becomes the more you would have to rely on your natural gifts, spiritual (not religious) instincts to be successful. Leaders of the future will be exposed and naked far more frequently than it was in the past and is today.
Leading by example
Lead by following those you are leading
No longer are leaders allowed to lock themselves in a back room and dictate things from there. Over the next decade leaders will need to have the work ethic to dig their elbows in and get their hands dirty. The leaders of the new will have to learn how to lead by following those who they are leading. Since the soldiers are on the battlefield everyday they know what needs to be done in order to win. Same thing in business. One of the most important aspects of leaders is the ability to encourage others to share their perspectives. Similar to inspiring confidence, you need the ability to encourage the free flow of communication from bottom up that way you are in tune with the reality of whats happening in your organization.
These are all great traits.
In addition, I believe, the following are needed:
1. Courage to admit mistakes so they are not repeated
2. Courage to admit when you don't know the way and tenacity to find the way
3. Willingness to sacrifice self until the vision becomes reality
4. Burning desire to be significant rather than successful
I believe that age is becoming less of a factor with regard to leadership as more young people are less concerned with making millions and more concerned with making a difference. These are the ones that embrace the reality of...success always follows significance.
Terri L M
Planning and Strategies Consultant; speaker, trainer, author.
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Kelsey:
I think that adaptability/flexibility will become more and more important as change is now happening before we even see it coming. Integrity needs to be revitalized so that ethical behavior will return to the corporate world. I also feel that the most successful leaders will lead by example and be servant leaders.
Duncan D
Quality Manager, Project Management :: TopLinked.com (duncan_dabreton AT bigfoot DOT com)
Hi Kelsey.
Having read all the comments to date, yes, all relevant. Although I did not see the word CUSTOMER mentioned. Without knowing who your customer is and more important, what your customer needs (and yes, wants), the company will not survive. Needless to say, you require the people skills to ensure that you can attract and retain the best employees to ensure that the products / services offered is of quality...
It might have been said by others but I think someone who is a fantastic coach will attract and retain talent and this will be a keen factor. In the future it will become even more important for individuals to manage their own careers, so someone who can support the development and career aspirations of others will always be in demand.
The other trait is a good listener - might be stating the bleeding obvious but it's still worth mentioning.
Melissa D
Check out my resume at www.visualcv.com/dmel1223
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Flexibility
Cross-cultural experience
Ability to lead (not just work through) change
In the past, the age factor was "the older the better" - senior leaders obtainined their positions because they had a lot of experience. Because of an increased emphasis on technology-driven solutions and flexible business models, I believe the average age of perceived organizational leaders will decrease substantially over the coming years.
I would add:
- Ability to build a solid foundation for the company and its second-in-command who can carry the company through
- Ability to visualize the future, seize the oppurtunity and garner the company towards capitalizing the potential ahead of the competition
- Ability to be global and this is increasingly true in our integrated world
- Ability to challenge and mitigate the effects of Global warming - this has key impact on operations if not taken care off
Age!!! Age!!! Nope it will not stop being a factor as long as we are still humans!!! :) Its effect and pernicious hold would probably slacken but not go away altogether though I'd love to see that day when it does!
Hi Kelsey.
I would add:
- sensibility toward the environment and social issues
- capability to balance work and private life
- self development ability
Bye
Diego
diego@diegoagostini.it
- Flexibility
- Ability to juggle multiple emerging technologies to keep their network engaged
- A master of multitasking and project management
- Fluency with multiple cultures (and languages)
