Future leadership skills to look for today

Modern employers prioritise new leadership skills, focusing on agility, self-awareness, coaching ability and compassion. These skills do not come at the expense of established ones like time management, coordination and negotiation, but it does mean you’re potentially looking for a new type of leader to bring into your ranks. 

What are the in-demand leadership skills?

Although all businesses have their own needs and unique approaches to leadership, there are consistent in-demand skills. But before we get there, you should know why these new skills are needed – what’s driving the demand for new and emerging leaders with new skills? According to the Blanchard Institute, there are five clear needs:

• Increasing leadership bench strength (the ability to internally replace leaders)
• Improving employee engagement and overall work experience
• Upskilling new and emerging leaders
• Replacing retiring leaders
• Responding to changes in the marketplace/industry

In some ways, the above needs link together; your bench strength is essential when replacing retiring leaders as you want to quickly fill knowledge gaps, while you also want to have the tools to upskill new leaders filling voids.

When it comes to the most in-demand skills from emerging and future leaders, four critical qualities were identified as the most important by current leaders:

• Engaging and developing talent
• Leading and supporting change initiatives
• Establishing goals and priorities
• Creating a sense of inclusion and belonging

The purpose of these skills is clear: employers want leaders who work with staff and encourage development; they want change and growth, not stagnation; long-term planning is important as ever; and diversity, inclusion and togetherness are critical. Interestingly, over 90% of those surveyed by Blanchard said knowing how to engage and develop other employee skills was essential, indicating a shift from leaders who only lead to those who teach and nurture. 

What types of leaders suit these skills best?

It’s one thing to identify critical skills, but it’s another to find the leaders who possess them. And where should you look to find the right leaders?

Three types of leaders possess in-demand leadership skills – compassionate, kinetic and perennial leaders. These new terms add to an already deep well of leadership styles, revealing just how much our traditional view of leadership has evolved.

Compassionate leaders 

Compassionate leaders are a mixture of two other emerging approaches; servant and authentic leadership. As the name suggests, compassionate leaders are among your most empathetic workers. Their strengths lie in supporting others, helping them to develop and grow, while also offering coaching and guidance. Authenticity is key and you’re likely to see emerging leaders under this umbrella encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Kinetic leaders 

When change is needed you should turn to a kinetic leader. They have the skills to support and manage change, giving you long-term opportunities for business growth. If you’re in a period of change, look for emerging leaders who thrive when innovation, quick thinking and problem-solving are required. They will be creative and dynamic, perfect for a touch of experimentation. 

Perennial leaders 

With experience and a touch of old-school nous, perennial leaders provide a steady hand to lead the ship. They could be your complexity leaders; existing talent who can think critically, adapt to new situations and offer a top-down approach to any problem. Perennial leaders might not be your best fit for people-centred roles, but they will be perfect when you need strength and stability. With a touch of authenticity, you can rest assured the best-emerging leader here will have various skills. 

Are tomorrow’s leaders here now?

Your future leaders are likely to be right under your nose – well, at least some of them will be. That’s why it’s important to identify young leaders as they first enter your workforce. You can nurture and support their growth, complementing existing skills and qualities with additional learning opportunities. 

So when you do look around the office, or whether you’re out on the floor, take a look at who’s leading the way. Which employees are helping and encouraging teammates, who provides direction, and who seems to be aware of how their actions affect others? If you can pick out those emerging leaders, you can strengthen your leadership bench well before an unexpected loss of experience.