Leadership is not about inherited characteristics or personality traits. It not about charisma or the ability to change behavior and style according to the situation. It is not about command and control or carrot and sticks. It is not about chameleons or superheroes. These are old perceptions and are archaic.
Leadership is a state of mind. It is about going beyond simply inspiring the people around you and seeing your self as a part the society that waits from you to leave behind something lasting. In this context leadership is less about actions and perfection and more about stitching together different solution and approaches around sound values.
Why sound values? Simply because ethics lies at the heart of all human relationships and there is no doubt that leadership is a very complex relationship. University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Moreover, the challenges we face today are tremendous and as humans we need an anchor, a reference point in order to overcome them. Our values offer exactly that: They serve as the reference point during our personal leadership journey and provide us with a sense of meaning. They help us resonate with the organization and the individuals. They do not change over time and they are the main reason why we do what we do.
Future-fit leaders will be expected to be value driven because they will have to lead in uncharted waters, in a number of different landscapes and with high numbers of diverse individuals. There is no map available today for this. Would you trust someone that has no map but knows how to use the compass in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous situations?
I would definitely say YES!
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