The topic of what executive leaders need has been covered many times and I find a lot of the advice, quite honestly, pretty pithy. I think it misses the point on what is really needed to be an executive leader in today's business world. Below are some of my thoughts. I'd like you to tear them apart if you wish. However, give them a thought first and use them to challenge your current assumptions before you comment.
Organizational dynamics are changing, but executive leadership isn't moving as fast
We've all seen how organizational dynamics have changed from a top down approach in larger organizations to ones that are more inclusive and flatter. However, that hasn't changed how the leaders of those groups lead and manage teams. These experienced and influential executives still use the same tools they were exposed to and implemented over the years. Leaders have, theoretically, been effective using these techniques they grew up with and don't see the need, or their ability, to adjust.
There are still within leadership ranks a lack of leadership skill diversity. There is so much of the old-school leadership thinking around them that they are not challenged to be different. They then hire people that can act in a similar fashion, reinforcing the culture.
However, this will become increasingly more difficult to maintain as the makeup of employees change (e.g. millenials, Gen Z, various ethnicities, etc.) and the nature of how business gets done changes. Through COVID, we've seen this becoming very prominent. It will only become stronger, no matter what happens to the macro employer-employee relationship dynamic.
So, what characteristics should executives/leaders have in order to be successful with employees and the company? Smart, hard-working, a communicator? Sure, but that's pithy. Integrity and honesty, of course. Let's dig a little deeper.
1. Love - The first of the Four Fundamental Forces of Leadership plays a big role in being an effective leader. As I write in my book, Love in the workplace. A Love for oneself, others, learning, the process, etc. Practicing acts of Love will help you connect and helps with the next characteristic.
2. Humility - Leaders of yesterday were required to have an air of invincibility to them. They had to be the icon, the pillar people looked up to. Command and control systems needed that. Employees today are turned off by that. Arrogance and condescension are looked upon very poorly.
Opening up, admiting a lack of knowledge or expertise and soliciting input will connect people to you like nothing else. They'll have a stake in the course that is taken; they'll feel valued and respected; they'll see you as a real human being. Connected to that humility is a confidence to make the decision that needs to be made, because that is your role. Employees expect that. However, the team will be engaged to a level that will take you and your organization to new heights when humility plays its proper role.
2. Servant - You serve them, they don't serve you.
3. Seeker/Learner - Domain expertise is not all that it's cracked up to be. It may give a short term boost to a lagging company, but it won't take your team and the company to the next level. Bringing in domain expertise will help you move quickly, but it won't get you farther in the end.
A seeker/learner has learned how to learn. The Respect what is happening around them to seek the nuances and mutations that can be combined to create novel ideas. They understand that the journeys they have taken, questions they have asked and mistakes they have made have given them tools from which they can seek out new opportunities and options. They understand when to take a step back and assess whether the current path is still the best and be willing to go forth into new territory.
Seeker/learners also Servew the team they lead to love learning and to provide an atmosphere in which to share and learn. We humans evolved from seeking, learning and then communicating across broad groups. That's being embraced again and in greater quantities.
Those that have learned how to learn are much more capable than those that were trained to do one thing or work in one industry.
What traits will NOT be as important
Other than the opposite of the above traits, here are some traits that will not be as important.
1. Ladder climbers - Ladders go only two ways, up and down. In order to move up, you either have to have people move up/off of the ladder or climb over and on top of others. People will see that you are looking simply for the next role and aren't engaged in helping them develop. Engagement with your employees will lack. Humility will suffer and the decisions you make for the company will likely have a long-term detrimental affect.
2. Domain Experts - Don't get me wrong, specific expertise in something is a valuable quality in many situations. However, if you've done something for a long time, you have good and bad baggage coming with you. You will likely have an, 'It's worked before' or a 'Customers do things THIS way' viewpoint. Leaders need to be open to new possibilities. They need to find the conflict (not always in a bad way) and figure out the ways to best serve that issue.
How have you seen these changes already?
These changes will take time. The fun companies to work for will be ones that engrain this sooner rather than later (if they haven't since COVID, they will be hard pressed to start it). Successful companies will seek out these leaders that think differently and empower their communities to grow and contribute.