Leadership in the twenty‐first century

Innovation is the constant requirement for the twenty‐first century. This comes first from individuals, but must permeate throughout the organisation. There is a new concept of the organisation itself being a learning, evolving organism. Knowledge must be shared freely to give it fuel for that growth. The status traditionally given to people who know a lot needs to be shifted to people who share a lot. This happens spontaneously in a crisis, when people are willing to try anything. We need to retain this willingness day to day. It takes emotional resilience, as change is difficult, and sometimes even seems threatening. The status quo has to be steadily challenged. Diversity is not something to be merely managed, but to be harvested as an essential ingredient for innovation. Leaders have to be behind the workforce, empowering them. Leading from the front is obsolete.