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THE ROAD TO LEADERSHIP

Our environment is changing fast and this condition is possibly the only one we are sure of in the future - an environment of entropy. Executives must be prepared to lead organizations in an environment of rapid and permanent change, with uncertainty that will require great flexibility and empathy. Technology and especially the mass use of mobile platforms that has generated hyper connectivity and immediacy in communications, has accelerated social change and modified the way organizations relate to their stakeholders.

Without wishing to predict how the future will be for companies, but in an attempt to describe a possible and realistic scenario, we believe that the business environment will be affected to a greater or lesser extent by the social environment, the use of technology, the search for efficiency and continuous improvement, a different international geopolitical environment, possibly with a strong leadership competition between the United States and China. Diversity will play a very important role. Companies will have to be transversally more heterogeneous as the society is today.

New business models will also be developed, different from the traditional ones, based not only on technology, but also on a new way of relating to customers. The means of payment, logistics, sources of supply and in general all the experience and relationship with customers is under review. In view of this possible scenario and considering the experience of the Executive Leaders who have participated in this study, we believe that it is necessary to identify, from their Management Skills, those that will provide the best tools for the future described here and how some of them must be redefined to face this new scenario.

Given the changes that companies are already experiencing, and especially when considering the possible future scenario described above, several of the Management Skills considered in this study must evolve towards others that meet the emerging needs of the companies’ environment.There is no doubt that we are already facing a New Reality, which will require New Leaderships, and these in turn, will have to provide New Management Skills.

MANAGEMENT SKILLS OF FUTURE LEADERS

THE LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES OF FUTURE LEADERS

In contrast to the management skills that will be required and that are significantly modified in comparison to those that have been necessary in recent years, the Leadership Attributes include the addition of new Attributes that are expected and that respond to the demands of the new environment.Five Leadership Attributes emerge - in yellow - that will be valued by successful companies, given these environmental characteristics:

Empathy and promotion of Open Communications is functional not only to the internal relations of the company, but to the way in which these must be related to the environment and its stakeholders.
Delegation of authority and responsibility is necessary to promote environments of continuous improvement and high efficiency.
Linking objectives with Customer Value will be fundamental to be consistent with the new scenario where decision making, information immediacy, awareness of the customer/company relationship are different today.
Collaboration across “borders”, inside and outside the company, refers to the attitude necessary to seek common objectives and achieve them by working in diverse, complementary teams, involving all those who may have an interest in the results. It is negotiated smoothly between parties, leading to win-win solutions.
Finally, acting decisively means thinking methodically about decisions, but moving quickly after considering the main factors. Showing Courage is about taking personal risks associated with implementing new ideas, being bold to move forward when others might be more cautious, and “sticking your neck out” for an idea when you are convinced it is good.

The world will need many Executive Leaders. They need to be prepared to acquire the management skills that organizations will need through experience. As Leaders they must optimize their personal attributes to complete the necessary experiences with the type of effective Leadership for the new reality.