Effective Leadership for 21st Century Organisations

It's a well-known fact: the world is changing at lightning speed and those that are not adapting quickly and effectively to these changes are losing ground. One key to this adaptation is the ability to lead in a 21st-century environment.

Do you have what it takes to lead in the 21st century?

If you are serious about being effective and successful, it is important that you have the skills, knowledge and mind-set to be an effective leader in a 21st-century environment. While there is no magic formula for becoming a 21st-century leader, there are key characteristics which can set you apart from your competitors.

Marketplace changes, demographic shifts and a significant increase in technology are just some of the reasons for this paradigm shift. In fact according to author Dave Ulrich, "Excellence is no longer optional." It's simply mandatory if you want to be successful...

So, what are the key characteristics of 21st-century leadership?

1. It's a multi-generational world

21st-century leaders must be able to lead in a multi-generational environment where they must appeal to several age groups at once, sometimes from differing ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Collaboration, understanding different generations and their attitudes and perspectives, as well as respecting different generations' character traits and work ethics will be necessary for 21st-century leaders.

In his book The Next Sixty Years , author Neal G. Jansen points out, "In this new age, the individuals who will survive and even thrive will be those who can get along with people who come from different backgrounds, ages, religions and cultures."

Knowledge of diversity is crucial.

If you are not equipped with an understanding of diversity and aren't aware of the many different types of people in this country, it is vital that you talk to leaders from these different groups to learn more about their thoughts and opinions on today's business practices. It can change your perspective on the future and sometimes even give you ideas for new products or services.

2. It's a technology-driven world

The pace of change in the 21st century is even faster than in the past! In his book How to Win at the Game of Business , author Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, point out that "Organizational change is happening so fast that holding on to yesterday's way of doing business will put you at a major disadvantage." This means that leaders must be willing to examine and adapt their ideas, processes, technologies and culture in order to remain competitive.

Technology is another element which is crucial for 21st-century leaders. While it is important for your organization to have the latest technology, leaders must also realize that not all new technologies are equal. According to author Keith Johnson and Al Lee, "Sometimes older technologies provide better results than newer ones."

When evaluating new technology be sure to talk with people who have been using the older technology and get their insights as to why they are still using it.

3. It's an open world (for leadership)

Another element that is changing rapidly in today's business environment is the ability for individuals and groups of people to communicate directly with one another on social networks and other web-based platforms such as FaceBook or Twitter.

In his book Industry Power , author Kevin P. Ryan points out that "This increased access to each other, to information and knowledge, and to the marketplace has changed the playing field."

Knowing that this is changing environment and adapting your leadership style accordingly are essential.

4. It's a highly competitive world

The most important 21st-century business leader will have a competitive mindset. This means not only understanding your competitors but also being able to anticipate what your competitors are thinking and doing as well as anticipating changes in their strategies.

According to Ram Charan, "Competitive leaders know that every moment of every day is an opportunity for improvement. Even in the middle of any task, leaders can always seek ways to improve."

Knowing how to be effective under pressure is important. While this seems like it should be obvious, it isn't always.

Charan also points out that "Competitive leaders anticipate problems and respond quickly before they become too big or too costly." When they are anticipating problems and getting ready for them, they will likely do better than their competitors who don't have the same mindset.

5. It's a global world (for leadership)

In today's global business environment, CEOs must understand the diverse cultures, values and beliefs of the countries where their company operates. They will have to understand the culture of their own country and those in which they do business.

21st-century leaders will have to be team players who are willing to share information, not hoard it and they must be open-minded enough to realize that other cultures and countries may actually have value worth sharing with their organization.

They will also have to be leaders who can collaborate with people from different nationalities because businesses are increasingly being globalized which means that people from all over the world are working together. The more experience you can garner working with people from different countries, the better prepared you'll be for 21st-century leadership opportunities.

6. It's a fluid world (for leadership)

In today's fluid environment where everything is changing rapidly, leaders must be able to adapt to changing trends, policies and ideas within their organizations. They will have to be adaptable in order to keep up with the competition since they will not have a monopoly on knowledge or ideas. According to author Ram Charan, "Even after winning the battle for awareness and capturing the brand name, you need to make sure that you are still ahead of your competitors."

He points out that "You need to be able to quickly recognize changes in your market and adapt your business practices accordingly. You must know how to change your strategy quickly when things don't work.

Conclusion

In this fluid and competitive 21st-century business environment, leaders need to have a mindset of continuous improvement and be able to acquire and maintain the knowledge it takes to stay abreast of the latest ideas and concepts. In addition, leaders will also have to continually work on their emotional intelligence competencies if they want to be successful leaders in today's business environment.

Achieving emotional intelligence is an ongoing process. It takes time for it to become a natural way of interacting with other people. Whether you are a leader or not, self-awareness is always your first step toward mastering your emotions. If you can learn how to manage your own emotions effectively, you will be more emotional intelligent than most people.