A Pithy Article on Leadership for the Future
I came across a Knowledge@Wharton article today titled Deloitte CEO Barry Salzberg on Leadership as 'the Norm, Not the Exception.' Like most of you I'm sure, pressed for time, I always appreciate a short, pithy, relevant article with substance. If you have a minute, it's well worth the read - it does a nice job of capturing what I think are many of today's key leadership issues and recommendations including:
- "Gone is the day of the old command-and-control environment, the climb-the-ladder model, in which the employee kept quiet and didn't say too much, certainly not much beyond what was asked and tasked..."
- "Gone, too, is the densely layered organizational hierarchy [and] dinosaur-like structures that are too slow and lumbering for today's environment."
- “...leadership needs to be "flat" today. It needs to be transparent.”
- "No longer is leadership about a few exceptional leaders at the top of the organization. Rather, the future is about exceptional teams and the leaders within those teams who can out-maneuver, out-manage and out-innovate their competition."
- “...you never know where the best ideas will come from.”
- “If you build a supportive environment where everyone is expected to contribute, you'll get synergies and creative ideas you never imagined were possible."
- “In a global world, leaders are required at all levels of the organization, not just at the top.”
- "The corporate lattice metaphor signals a shift in mindset. It's better reflective of today's employees, who want variety and flexibility and reject a one-size-fits-all approach."
- "Another leadership relic, according to Salzberg: the idea of a "ruling elite in the clouds of some bureaucratic Mount Olympus."
- Leaders today must also be transparent, especially in today's socially networked world, said Salzberg. "In today's social media environment, it's fascinating to see how in 10 seconds what you say is spread throughout the organization. There are few hiding places."
- The best leaders are ... generous with their experience, time and understanding that leadership is a life-long journey that is best made with trusted companions...”
