The future generation of leaders will need these leadership skills to succeed

Digital transformation means that organisations will operate quite differently than they do today. Those holding the reigns of organisations will need to develop an arsenal of leadership skills to lead effectively and morph into a leader of the future.

Grant Thornton’s 2019 International Business Report (IBR)[i] – which surveyed senior leaders in mid-market businesses around the world – found that the top three disruptive forces to hit businesses between now and 2030 are the rise of the digitally connected world, other technological advances, including artificial intelligence (AI) and big data; and increasing use of automation and robotics. 

“The changing landscape means business leaders need to adapt their own skills and those of their teams if they are to both remain competitive and take advantage of new opportunities in the marketplace,” they said.

Indubitably, the technology-driven change will mean workplaces will grow into increasingly complex and diverse spaces. The speed and depth of changes brought upon by technology will force many to rethink the way we work and create value. 

Leadership skills for future leaders

Technology presents opportunities but also new challenges for the workforce, which means leaders and future leaders need to be agile and adapt new skills to be an effective leader. 

Based on his interview with over 140 top CEOs from around the world, bestselling author and keynote speaker Jacob Morgan notes in his book, The Future Leader, that there are four mindsets and five skills that future leaders must master, which he calls “The Notable Nine”, said Forbes.

Based on his interviews, the top five leadership skills that future leaders must master are primarily soft and people skills. These include being a great coach, a futurist, tech-savvy and digitally fluent, a master communicator, and emotionally intelligent. 

The top four mindsets for future leaders is to be able to think globally and embrace diversity, practice humility, embrace technology without neglecting the needs of their employees and be open to embracing the unknown. 

Building tomorrow’s leaders 

There are a myriad of ways to groom future leaders and upskill current leaders in preparation for the future. 

Depending on the soft or hard skill required, it may make sense for organisations to invest in executive education, microcredentials, or even encourage staff to pursue their postgraduate studies in certain fields.

There are many programmes on coaching, leadership, and communications, to name a few, with courses ranging from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the nature of the programme, which candidates can take in person or online. 

Without a doubt, developing the capabilities in leaders needs to be a top priority for organisations as we dive further into the Fourth Industrial Revolution and ensure they meet business goals.