12 page paper

Critical Leadership Competencies Needed in 2020

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Institution

Critical Leadership Competencies Needed in 2020

Fundamental leadership competencies needed in leaders by 2020

According to Meister & Mulcahy (2016), leaders of the near future will be required to have a collaborative mindset; this means they should be able to work effectively in the increasingly networked environment, operate across cultures, navigate through intricate international markets, as well as cooperate with competitors.

Leaders will also need to be digitally proficient. Digital proficiency refers to the effectiveness of engaging with digital technology. This competency is important as technology is increasingly influencing every aspect of life starting from how people communicate, collaborate, learn, gather, disseminate, and distribute information. Technology impacts how organizations innovate, enhance productivity, make decisions, and solve problems. Therefore, a leader of the future will need to be digitally proficient to carry out his/her duties effectively (Gleeson, 2017, March 27).

Morgan (2014) observes that the world is becoming more inter-connected where work is increasingly being carried out across geographical and time boundaries. Organizations are adapting to the changing environment by becoming more diverse. To lead an organization successfully in this environment, leaders must develop a global mindset. Such a mindset will enable them to achieve immense success across different generations, cultures, and countries.

Most important leadership trends

Organizations are leaving top-down leadership structures in favor of less hierarchical arrangements. To succeed in the new structures, leaders need to possess emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence will help them understand as well as invest in their workforce to motivate them to excel. Leadership is changing from being egocentric to outcentric. Outcentric leadership involves developing one’s teams to be active contributors to the bottom line while valuing their input. In addition, leaders in 2020 will be more adept at managing soft skills. Managers and leaders who can identify valuable soft skills in employees and leverage them will be able to create successful teams (Meister & Mulcahy, 2016).

External trends that will impact leadership changes

The workplace is becoming more diverse. Due to this, organizations need to build accountability into their processes in terms of their managers and leaders taking responsibility to design inclusive work environments. The future leader will need to use creativity and innovative ways to lead the organization. He/she will need to understand the importance of diversity, not only of demographics but also of thought and deed in achieving success for the organization. Thus, encouraging diversity is something the future leader must do (Gleeson, 2017, March 27).

Technology affects leadership in various ways including influencing how leaders interact with their teams. Leaders thus need to encourage the use of technology in the workplace to boost productivity. On its part, globalization has made leadership more complex; it is common for an excellent leader in one country or region to perform poorly in another. To be a successful global leader or manager, one will be required to adapt his/her leadership styles to different regions where he/she operates in (Morgan, 2014).

Employee of 2020

Meister & Mulcahy (2016) point out that the employee of 2020 will be much different from the employee of the past. Future employees will yearn for a flexible workspace characterized with location independence, ability to work when they please, and one that offers work-life balance. They will also have the ability to influence their career paths. Due to their love for technology, future employees will be attracted by organizations that offer opportunities to experience diverse technologies. They also want to be valued and recognized for their efforts. To thrive in 2020, an employee will need skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, creativity, and people management skills.

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