21st Century Leadership

The meaning of leadership has always entailed occupying a static position at the head of a group. Today, we need to see that leadership is an occasional act, not a role. We have tweaked the meaning of leadership a little bit, thus moving from dictatorial to more participative styles but the essence has remained basically unchanged for centuries.Firstly, the 21st century is a knowledge driven age. Leadership had always been based on power, but today,we are moving toward the view that “content is king” which is the triumph of substance over form. Next, change is much more rapid today; the world is more dynamic, making it harder to maintain the static state in which one person stays at the head of affairs. CEOs of high tech organizations that compete on the basis of rapid innovation have a much harder time of calling the shots.

Groups become increasingly important. There is no “outsider” or “insider”. There are no boundaries between cooperate teamwork, and one must establish strategic partnerships and informal contacts to be successful. Dynamics in groups are important, but dynamics between groups are important as well. You need to be there for other groups, as well as have other groups support you when you need their expertise. Most importantly, include your team in decision making. Knowledge workers advocate better ways of doing things, even if it is just a once off act.

The meaning of leadership needs to change. Leadership in the 21st century is no longer a fixed role. In a fluid, dynamic environment where innovation rules, leadership is only an occasional act that can come from any direction including outside the group. 21st century leadership is thought leadership, an occasional act that all employees can show even if they have no inclination to be a manager.

Read more at Suite101: 21st Century Leadership: The Changing Meaning of Leadership | Suite101.com