Recently, a student forwarded an article about leadership and development. The request was to evaluate the article and share my thoughts because he felt that the author got a few things wrong. Indeed, the Forbes article “Unlocking Hidden Potential In Next-Gen Leaders: Beyond Traditional Leadership Development” brings to light several crucial aspects of contemporary leadership, but it also leaves plenty of room for deeper exploration, at least from a science of leadership perspective. So, let’s dive in to see what the article gets right, where it falls short, what should be added, and how leaders can strategically leverage all of it for organizational growth.
What the Forbes Article Gets Right
In my opinion, the article accurately identifies several key components of effective leadership in the modern business world. For example, by emphasizing the necessity for innovative leadership, the importance of a purpose-driven approach, and the critical traits of high-potential employees, the article aligns well with current leadership theories. Additionally, its recommendations for empowering teams reflect best practices that are widely supported by research and real-world examples. Here’s a little more detail:
- The Necessity of Innovation: The article correctly identifies the need for innovative leadership in today’s world. Emphasizing real-time leadership that is adaptable and emotionally intelligent aligns well with current leadership theories that highlight the importance of agility and empathy in effective leadership. Of course, that’s usually a lot easier said than done. In my experience, I find this to be a trained set of skills that takes time and culture to foster.
- Characteristics of High-Potential Employees: The attributes listed for high-potential employees—ability, aspiration, adaptability, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence—are accurate. In many ways, these traits are essential for identifying and nurturing future leaders. However, I would also caution against assumptions because traditional ways to measure such traits are often lacking.
- Empowering Teams: The strategies proposed for empowering teams, such as fostering strategic thinking, encouraging innovation, and promoting continuous learning, are critical. These approaches are supported by numerous studies and align with best practices in leadership development. That said, it should be emphasized that doing so is considerably harder than simply saying it.
What the Forbes Article Gets Wrong
Despite its strengths, the article had several notable shortcomings that warrant attention. I feel compelled to share these perspectives because I fear that a lot of people might read such an article and simply take it at face value. Frankly, that could be dangerous because what the article misses demonstrates the need for a more comprehensive approach that considers the broader organizational context and the complex nature of effective leadership. For example…
- Purpose-Driven Leadership: On the surface, the article’s emphasis on aligning employees’ personal purposes with the company’s mission is well-founded. After all, research consistently shows that purpose-driven organizations have higher levels of employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. However, I would argue that it is more important to align employees’ personal purposes with the company’s VISION. Remember that ‘vision’ is where we are going (outcome), and ‘mission’ is simply the plan to get there. However, the mission can (and likely will) change. Hence, aligning everyone to a moving goalpost is usually not the best idea.
- Overemphasis on Individual Traits: While the article correctly identifies key traits of high-potential employees. However, it also neglects the importance of the broader organizational context in leadership development. Let me be clear – leadership does not occur in a vacuum, and the environment, culture, and systems within an organization play significant roles in shaping effective leaders. But that doesn’t really matter much because leadership isn’t about traits. Trait Theory was debunked many years ago.
- Simplified View of Resilience and Adaptability: The article touches on resilience and adaptability, which are absolutely important. However, it also oversimplifies them. Developing resilience involves a heck of a lot more than just coping strategies and stress management; it requires a supportive organizational culture, access to resources, professional development, and opportunities for recovery and growth. Furthermore, it requires a desire to overcome obstacles – something many organizations have no clue how to foster.
- Limited Focus on Data-Driven Leadership: Although the article mentions leveraging data and analytics, it does not really explain how leaders can use data to drive decision-making and measure the impact of their strategies. We could talk about that ‘moving goalpost’ again. For example, how are you going to measure the effectiveness of a middle-leader – especially absent any real focus on the vision? In my opinion, this is a critical oversight of the article.
What Should Be Added
If you want to fully realize the potential of leadership development, there are several additional elements that need to be integrated. These elements provide a more holistic approach, addressing the complexity of modern organizational environments and the diverse challenges leaders face. Here are a few worth mentioning:
- Systems Thinking: Leadership development should incorporate systems thinking, which involves understanding the interconnections within an organization and the broader environment. This perspective helps leaders see the bigger picture, anticipate unintended consequences, and make more informed decisions.
- Cognitive Flexibility: Beyond emotional intelligence and adaptability, cognitive flexibility—the ability to shift thinking and consider multiple perspectives—is crucial for leaders facing complex and rapidly changing environments. This means that they must be trained in how to release themselves from Epistemic Rigidity! Hence, professional leadership development programs should include exercises and experiences that enhance such cognitive flexibility. Unfortunately, without an intimate knowledge of how to do that, one can do some serious damage.
- Inclusive Leadership: Modern leadership requires diverse perspectives. And this includes the dissenting voices. Of course, this goes well beyond cross-functional collaboration. Unfortunately, most people resist dissenting voices because they are “negative.” Well, if we don’t understand the value of a warning label, we might have to find out the hard way why it was placed there.
- Behavioral Science Insights: Integrating insights from behavioral science can enhance leadership development programs. Understanding cognitive biases, motivation, and behavior change can help leaders better understand themselves and their teams, leading to more effective leadership practices. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have someone who actually studied leadership development conducting your leadership development initiatives.
- Self-Determination Theory: Seriously! If you want to motivate your people, you should probably understand what motivates them. Then, it would be a good idea to foster that and not smother it with nonsense. Unfortunately, most managers like to manage things, which typically results in keeping a thumb on everything in the operation. Well, that’s a great tactic for compliance, but it’s also a great way to stifle innovation and motivation and destroy any desire to achieve outstanding results.
Strategic Advantages for Leaders
So, how can we take this information and use it to our strategic advantage? Similarly, what can we do to ensure that we don’t miss a beat when attempting to foster such an environment? I have a few approaches that I can share. In many ways, these approaches not only prepare leaders for the complexities of the modern business world but also drive organizational success through improved innovation, performance, and adaptability.
- Creating a Learning Organization: This point always comes first. Knowledge is power! By fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, leaders can ensure their organization remains agile and adaptable. This doesn’t mean that learning and development are only for the employees. Leaders are ALL LEVELS need to adopt this mindset. Frankly, if learning and development are “beneath you,” then so is leadership. Encouraging knowledge sharing, providing learning opportunities (such as leadership development), and recognizing achievements can drive innovation and performance.
- Implementing Data-Driven Strategies: This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, but leaders who leverage data and analytics for decision-making can enhance their strategic planning and operational efficiency. By using data to identify trends, measure outcomes, and make evidence-based decisions, leaders can build trust and credibility within their teams. Why? Because numbers typically don’t care about the various biases that skew decisions.
- Enhancing Employee Engagement: A lack of engagement is a universal killer of organizations. However, aligning personal and organizational purposes, promoting psychological empowerment, and recognizing contributions among the team can significantly boost employee engagement. Just remember that engaged employees are more productive, innovative, and committed to the organization’s success – ‘success’ being the outcome or ‘vision.’
- Building Resilient Teams: Developing resilience within teams involves more than individual coping strategies; it requires creating a supportive environment, providing resources, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Give your teams a chance to recharge their batteries, stop micromanaging, and stop punishing your teams with ‘work overload’ when they exceed expectations! Remember that resilient teams can better navigate challenges and sustain high performance over time. That should be celebrated, not punished.
Final Thoughts
So, yes, the Forbes article provides some valuable insights into contemporary leadership development, but in my opinion, it also falls short in some areas that are critical from a science of leadership perspective. However, that makes sense because the gentleman who wrote the article was educated in ‘Business Management.’ We just have to remember that management is not leadership. Nonetheless, by incorporating systems thinking, cognitive flexibility, and behavioral science insights, I think leaders can more effectively develop and empower their teams. Furthermore, these enhancements will not only prepare leaders for the complexities of the modern business landscape but also provide strategic advantages that drive organizational success.