The New Leadership Skillset: Judgement, Connection, Adaptability

I think great leadership looks different now than it used to.

I am really starting to see that the skills needed to be a great leader are changing in today’s landscape.  Leadership in the modern workplace is increasingly about adaptability, sound judgement and creating the conditions for people and businesses to thrive.

Now more than ever, human connection, concise and consistent communication and good judgement are key leadership skills. Within communication, emotional and social intelligence are also critical. These skills allow us to read a room, assess and analyse the atmosphere when we join a conversation and adapt our communication style to build rapport and trust.

Emotional intelligence also enables us to read between the lines of what was said and, most importantly, notice what wasn't said. Often this is where valuable insight lies. By noticing it, we can invite perspectives from people who may not have felt able to contribute initially.

In times of uncertainty such as we are experiencing today, these leadership skills help us adapt, manage complexity and support both our teams and our businesses through increasing change.

Building these skills is not always easy though. Work is fast-paced, decisions need to be made quickly, priorities need to be set and deadlines need to be met. The skills required for modern leadership take conscious thought, practice and reflection. When things are moving quickly, that can be hard.

However, I believe developing these skills is more important than ever. Technology will continue to change how we work, but most likely the key differentiator will be how well people can lead themselves, build trusted relationships and help others navigate change. 
 
As our work changes, perhaps our definition of leadership needs to change too.