08 May 4 Secrets to 21st Century Leadership Success
According to the January 2015 McKinsey Quarterly over 90% of leaders will increase investment in leadership development because they see it as the most important human-capital issue their organizations face. We know that leadership development critically affects organizational performance and organizational health.
Of course, we then ask ourselves, “Well what type of leadership development or leadership training would be best?”
McKinsey’s most recent research suggests that a small subset of leadership skills closely correlates with leadership success. McKinsey surveyed 189,000 people in 81 diverse organizations around the world to assess how frequently certain kinds of leadership behavior are applied effectively within their organizations.
What they found suggests that the secret to developing effective leaders is to encourage four types of behavior.
- Solving problems effectively. Decision-making is informed by problem solving. Information must be gathered, analyzed, and considered to effectively solve problems. It can be deceptively difficult to get right.
- Operating with a strong results orientation. We all know that leadership is about developing and communicating a shared vision. However, failure to set objectives, take action and achieve results means that the vision never becomes a reality.
- Seeking different perspectives. Leaders who seek out employees and stakeholders contributions and talents, keep abreast of changes and trends in the environment and differentiate between important and unimportant issues make effective decisions.
- Supporting others. Leaders who are authentic, sincere and understand how others feel build trust. They inspire and help colleagues overcome challenges.
McKinsey’s research points to core elements for effective leadership behavior that is relevant to most organizations today. Their research suggests that the prioritizing of these four areas is a good place to start in the development of future leaders.
Think Strategic offers ‘Leadership for the 21st Century’ workshops focusing on developing these core leadership behaviors.
Why not register today to learn more about the leadership demands of the 21st Century?
