1. Managing and Leading in
Fast-Moving Times
Anke Middelmann, Director,
Global EMBA
20 June 2020
2. Introduction
• The 21st Century Business Context
• Implications for Leadership
• Towards New Leadership Competencies
Managing and Leading in a Fast-Moving World—Leadership Competences for Success
4. The Backdrop to 21st Century
Leadership
Globalisation
Technology
Digitalisation
Demographic change
Social & economic inequalities
Environmental crisis
Vielmetter & Shell, 2014
Six interrelated “Mega-Trends”
5. Towards a Paradoxical World?
Leaders are increasingly confronted with situations and conditions that
seem paradoxical—and uncomfortable:
Most of us want…
Stability… but face Volatility
Predictability… but face Uncertainty
Straightforwardness/Simplicity… but face Complexity
Certainty… but face Ambiguity
We live locally but our lives are impacted by… global realities
Continuous steady progress but are faced with… disruptive
transformation
7. What is Leadership?
“Leadership is action taken with a proactive attitude and
an intention to change something for the better” (Joiner,
B. & Josephs, S., Leadership Agility)
Leadership is a process of social influence, which
maximizes the efforts of others, towards the
achievement of a goal. (Forbes Magazine)
Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences
a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.
(Peter Northouse)
8. From Paradox to Opportunity:
Perspective Change & Shifts
• From Volatility Vision… or… Values
• From Uncertainty Understanding
• From Complexity Clarity
• From Ambiguity Agility or Adaptability or Adventure
• From single-perspective business vision connecting business with social and
ethical needs & imperatives
• From control, consistency & closure letting go of control, valuing
inconsistency in action & forgetting about closure*
*Dotlich, Cairo & Cowan, The Unfinished Leader
9. A selection of leadership competencies
for thriving in complex contexts
Visionary
Agile
Empathetic
Collaborative
Good Listeners
& Communicators
FlexibleHumble
Decisive
Versatile
Authentic
Develop Global
Mindset
Ethical
Curious
Lifelong Learner
Change Agents
Supportive
Empowering
Able to Shift
Perspectives
Courageous
Decision-Makers
Resilient
Creative
Critical Thinkers
See Connections
& Contexts
Dare to Fail Have
Strategic Vision
Accountable
Optimistic
Confident
11. Unlocking your Leadership Toolkit
It starts with… YOU
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all
wisdom”
-- Aristotle
12. Self-Awareness: Unlock your “Inner Leader”
Self-awareness is all about how well you know
yourself, namely your…
• personal values
• strengths & areas for improvement
• passions
• preferences
• emotions and reactions
• impact on other people
The essential key: Know Who You Are… so that you can manage yourself & others
13. Identifying your
Preferred Leadership
Style
Do you, for example,
• Seek perfection in outcomes—and expect team members to consistently excel?
• Thrive on motivating your team members by nurturing their individual abilities?
• Prefer a harmonious and inclusive work environment, in which everyone has a say?
• Feel that structures, planning and procedures are key to progress?
• Think it is important to decisively lead the way—and your team?
• Like to work in a consistently creative environment, brimming with new ideas?
• Feel that step-by-step progress is better than launching into the unknown?
Based on: Lapid-Bogda, What Type of Leader are You?
Who you are determines how you lead!
14. Essential Leadership
Skills
Ability to…
• Be comfortable with the Unknown
• Manage inevitable change & transformation
• See the “global” picture
• Develop a “paradox mindset”
• Shift Perspectives: stand back… to move forward
• Be flexible & adaptable in complex situations
• Relate, connect and collaborate with others
• Develop and instil a spirit of creativity and curiosity
• Inspire Vision and motivate others towards it
From Transactional to Transformational
16. Become an ethical leader: Consider social &
environmental well-being in all business
decisions
• It is not only society’s but also business’
obligation to safeguard the planet and
environmental well-being for future generations
• Growing social inequalities must be addressed in
meaningful ways
• Mindset change: Encourage and support social
and environmental sustainable practices—at
every level of the organisation
• Make a real difference: Ensure that sustainability
does not become yet another “marketing ploy”
Value creation must become much more sustainable &
inclusive
Business will become even more global—and the impact of political and economic “waves & ripples” even far away will be felt at local levels elsewhere in the world
Machines will soon be able to do more of what humans have traditionally done: how to engage people in this new environment?
Technological development and disruption will increase speed—of work and also of change
The world will become even more connected and interdependent with the on-going reduction in time and space
If left unchecked…
income and social inequalities around the world will continue to rise
The natural environment, alrady in a critical state, will deteriorate irreparably
