Is leadership changing?
I like to characterize the current environment as a tsunami of trends and forces fundamentally reshaping the work world. The major trends we think are fundamentally changing our world are:
- The "Loch Ness Monster" Economy as it has been called
- Globalization
- Technology
- Workforce and demographic changes (Net Gen, 5 generations, etc)
Welcome to the new normal!
Don Tapscott elaborates on this in his book, Wikinomics, "when technology, demographics, and global economics collide, you are faced with a category six (6) business revolution."
Like a category six storm, nothing is without impact, including fundamental roles like leadership. Which gets to our question, Is leadership changing? If so, how and what can you do about it as a leader?
I had a chance to sit down and interview international consultant and author, Emmanuel Gobillot who shares his thoughts about leadership in this "new normal".
My major takeaways from my time with Emmanuel are as follows:
- Business is social - I like how he suggest leaders learn how to channel the "social networks" inside (and outside) their organizations and channel the informal energy toward the organization's purpose.
- It is about meaning & purpose - Job one of the leader is to define reality and find (and connect) meaning and purpose for their organization and people
- It's not about you - Leadership is more about your followers, understanding their needs and how you can support them
- Leadership is building capacity - I love Emmanuel's # 1 suggestion for leaders at the end of this interview where he says, the leaders should always ask himself, "Have I made them feel stronger and more capable."
Where do you start? What do you do Monday morning?
He says, start with your followers. Sit them down and check to see what are they dealing with and what do they need, then start from there.
Want the handbook for the new leadership model?
Buy Emmanuel's book, Leadershift: Reinventing Leadership for the Age of Mass Collaboration
Follow Emmanuel on Twitter - @egobillot or www.twitter.com/egobillot and follow us @bizlearn www.twitter.com/bizlearn and @tomhood or www.twitter.com/tomhood
More from Emmanuel Gobillot from MACPA's blog, CPA Success:
Leadership: What got you here won't get you there!
Good leaders just won't shut up by Bill Sheridan
The best leadership style? Yours. By Bill Sheridan
See a post from MACPA's CPA Success blog about Leadership and Emmanuel Gobillot
Want to schedule a session with Emmanuel (live or via webcast)?
Contact Pam Devine at the Business Learning Institute pam@bizlearning.net