Fine-tuning leadership

There is a classic image of a leader. A charming, respected commanding visionary…a “know it” and “see it” all who can direct the troops to greener pastures of exceptional growth and unimaginable profits…one who every employee worships and the shareholders love….someone who has the magic strategic plans and knows exactly what to do when plans run amuck. While most of these traits are undisputedly desirable, they do spell a pre-VUCA, classical, fictional, business-school case book leader. Black swan events like COVID are not a rarity and the expectations of the end consumer and more importantly the employees put a heavier burden on the organization.

The fictional “sorcerer supremes” are buckling under the pressures of varying pitfalls within the multiverse of business truths. Modern organizations find it hard to find an optimum business trajectory with unreliable supply chains, changing climate paradigms, consumers expecting a luxury user experience and customer service for the price of a big Mac & …..

Shareholders demand leaders excel in managing these conflicting expectations while painting a reliably exceptional future. Modern challenges need modern leaders with critical traits that will become more important.

1. Empathy over bias

2. People first over processes first

3. Servant leadership over “serve me” leadership

4. Meaning focus over technology focus

5. Coach over captain

6. Generalist over specialist

7. Creating visibility over saving face

8. Systems thinking over excelling in individual silos

9. Comic book illustrator v/s powerpoint/excel junkie

10. Problem solver over encyclopedia