We live in a digital world where the continuously advancing technology has been influencing the day-to-day lives of us humans. The digital technology has influenced various fields globally including education, economy, politics, and business. With digital technologies like mobility, social networks, automation, big data, and cloud computing now deeply implanted in every aspect of our professional and personal lives, today’s business leaders need to possess a completely new set of leadership traits to sustain the transition and succeed in this digital era.
Firstly, the leader should possess capabilities and sufficient knowledge in addition to the IQ. The leader should have the ability to identify the technological trends across the different sectors, knowledge to use these resources and vision to succeed in the digital world using these resources. Apart from the aforementioned traits, a leader should have the ability to lead, innovate, negotiate and manage.
Ability to Lead: He/She should have a focus on the trends of the digital age and how they shape the industry and organization. He then should focus on effectively leading individuals, teams, and organizations contributing to the individual’s growth and also the growth of the organization as a whole.
Ability to Innovate: The leader should teach the individuals on how to work within the digital age and getting accustomed to the new technologies. He should innovate and execute new methods to get the things done. He should lead change through experimentation and implementation. He should dedicate himself and his team to regular exercises and workshops that harness the creative skills and technology exploration amongst the team members.
Ability to Negotiate: The leader should have the ability to negotiate, collaborate and manage conflict. He should have a willingness to listen, interact, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders. Smart bargaining skills in leaders can help create and sustain relations, and good relations can have an excellent impact on your company’s reputation. He should have a strong sense of interest and curiosity in emerging trends.
Ability to Manage: A leader should be capable of leading and managing himself and others in the fast-changing digital age. In addition to building and maintaining critical relationships, a leader should be equipped with the skills needed to build, manage, lead and influence virtual teams. He should be able to manage up, down and across and influence his team to accept the change.
The above traits redefine the leadership in this digital era and a successful leader is the one who has the potential to guide his team and organization through the transformation.