As organisations seek to define the future leaders they will need, questions also arise about key competencies and skills. And you simply won't acquire these overnight ...

External perspective

Leaders currently have insufficient time to keep pace with global competition, rapidly evolving customer needs or market dynamics. Violations can come from anywhere at any time, breaking down existing procedures and principles. So it is important for leaders to remain alert, maintain curiosity and, most importantly, realise they can never know everything. They should also call on colleagues to explore borders and themselves be a catalyst for "developing an external perspective".

Bridging borders

Companies are adapting to the pace and depth of change by scrapping traditional hierarchies and moving to flatter structures and greater (often virtual) collaboration. Success no longer depends on the performance of individual stars in the team; it's about how effectively people work across borders and how quickly project teams can form, execute and reshape to achieve goals. Being able to transcend boundaries depends on the leaders' ability quickly to create alignment, determination, and direction beyond existing boundaries and barriers. (functional, organisational, cultural or geographical).

Inclusion and psychological safety

There is no team without trust. Safety is about treating people with dignity and respect so they feel they can talk and take risks without fear of negative consequences. If that doesn't work, the team will pull in different directions. A sense of belonging means people feel they are a valuable part of a team, looking for different perspectives and drawing on a pool of knowledge and experience in the group.

Purposeful guidance

Capitalism has been hard-hit during the coronavirus crisis. More than ever, people seek more than just money in their work. Having a purpose is critical. People need to feel they are contributing to something bigger than themselves, which makes a genuine difference in the world. Leaders must be authentic to be able to reinforce these ideas.

Coaching skills

Leadership roles are becoming increasingly complex and ambiguous. They are a challenge for new leaders: to learn the role and lead at the same time. Given that 70% of leadership development is based on workplace experience, the solution is not to train people only through development programmes. Instead, this ability is part of creating a coaching culture where leaders develop leaders and support each other in orienting themselves to the real challenges they face.

Functional agile guidance

Organisations do not lack great ideas. But there is often a limited number of individuals who excel at quickly translating ideas into reality. Leaders therefore need to be sharper when making quick changes. It's not just about reckless prioritisation, determination and bias towards action: leaders who are able to act quickly are twice as effective in making change. Those who can finish things quickly excel at winning hearts and thinking at all levels.

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