Are You a Future-Friendly Leader?

Leading a business today is challenging. Change and uncertainty are everywhere you turn. Plus, you have the added complexity of transforming your business and yourself to address the demands of the future marketplace. It’s a transformation that will require you to tap into completely new leadership skillsets. No pressure.

In other posts, we’ve explored the leadership evolution that’s taking place and identified five leadership characteristics you need to develop. But, there’s another facet to consider. Are you future-friendly? Do you welcome the challenges that come with digital transformation, globalization, and rapidly changing technology? Do you know how to thrive in uncertainty? Ask yourself the following questions to assess your readiness to lead your team into the future.

Are you forward-thinking?

Be honest. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges of running a business and achieving this quarter’s goals. The problem is if you’re only focusing on the here and now, you’re missing future opportunities. And, if you don’t look ahead, someone else will.

One of the best ways to look beyond the next quarter or even next year is to create a culture of innovation now that rewards outside-the-box thinking and experimentation. It has to be real. As a leader, ask questions. Allocate significant budgets to support pilots and tests. Recognize innovations that succeed – and those that fail. Build on the failures. For most organizations, this is a big shift. Establishing an authentic culture that inspires creative thinking and rewards risks takes a strong, forward-thinking leader.

Are you clear on the why?

Leading an organization through transformation requires more than just saying, “We must change.” As a leader, effectively communicating the “why” is much more important than the “what.” In fact, you will often know why you need to change well before you understand what you need to do to get there.

Spend time answering the why. When you do, you can inspire the team to pursue a common goal and discover the changes that need to be made together. Seek solutions from throughout your organization. That’s the key to successful leadership in the future. You don’t need to have all the answers. Instead, you must create an environment that taps into the power of diversity, where people feel comfortable contributing their ideas, perspectives, and skillsets.   

Do you embrace what you don’t know?

Future leadership isn’t about what a leader achieves. Success will be defined based on a leader’s ability to collaborate – within the team, across business units, and outside the organization. These partnerships must be based on sharing knowledge and skills, which requires leaders to admit what they don’t know.

Embracing what you don’t know really means diving into learning. Partner with other people and organizations who know things you don’t in order to gain new insights into a problem or process. The most successful future leaders will be able to take in new information and experiences, and then put the right people, ideas, and skills together to develop a solution.

The first step to becoming a future-friendly leader is self-awareness of how you need to adapt. In my practice, I’m working with leaders and their teams to identify and develop the skills they need to create future success. Contact me to explore tools and resources that can help you effectively navigate change and thrive – both today and tomorrow.