How to Lead and Manage in the Twenty-First Century Essay

Introduction

A complex and dynamic economic landscape characterizes the 21st-century organization. Technological disruption, globalization and constant changes in demographic and political situations make the corporate landscape unpredictable. Traditional leadership styles used in the 20^th Century may not be feasible in the 21^st Century. Modern leaders must navigate a highly globalized economy where people from different cultures converge. Faster communication and exponential growth in social interaction make the world experience a seamless economy. Other than the emotional intelligence needed to manage people, additional features such as resilience, the ability to manage change, and cultural competence are needed to succeed in 21^st-century leadership and management. Leading and managing in the 21^st Century requires leaders to possess inspirational purpose, a high sense of innovation, and cultural competence because people from different origins work together in the economy.

Character Traits and Features Necessary to Lead in the 21^st Century

Traditional organizations thrived by having clear mission and vision statements. The high levels of competition and constant economic and demographic changes in the 21^st Century require more than mission and vision statements to succeed. Having an inspirational purpose is key for leaders to succeed. When the business manager finds the reasons for existence, it becomes a source of inspiration for the business. Businesses that focus on profits will not appeal to the people and will become extinct. When leaders identify a social problem through social interaction and commit to solving it gets a reason for existence (Corbett & Spinello, 2020). Expanding corporate social responsibility to end climate change as part of the business strategy gives it a unique purpose to survive the market. The workers will be motivated to maintain the business to fulfill its purpose. Having an inspirational purpose makes the leader not only appealing to the workers but also to the other stakeholders.

The 21^st Century is further characterized by globalization, where people travel from one continent to another for education, business, or leisure. Globalized markets comprises people from different cultures, customs and traditions. Multinational corporations may have employees from different cultural orientations. The key trait to leading and managing in the globalized economy is cultural competence, where other stakeholders’ cultures are understood, respected and incorporated into the business operation procedures. A team composed of employees from different cultural orientations may not be productive when their unique cultural beliefs are not incorporated into the standard operating procedures (Corbett & Spinello, 2020). Only a culturally competent leader has the unique knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to develop working relationships between the people in the organization despite their differences. A leader needs to be culturally competent and teach others to be culturally intelligent to lead in the 21^st Century effectively.

Social networks serve as a priceless asset in the 21^st Century. From such networks, a person gets new suppliers, buyers, talented employees and applicable contracts. A leader must therefore possess the social skills required to perform better. Leveraging social listening tools can enable leaders to create gainful networks that help them find leaders in similar industries who have had similar experiences (van Kemenade & Hardjono, 2018). Sharing experience improves knowledge and makes people resilient and able to handle change based on the experience of other people. A twenty-first-century leader should belong to professional bodies where industry trends and emerging issues are constantly shared. A solid social network helps a leader be knowledgeable, confident, and reliable in the ever-changing corporate domain.

Creativity and innovation are fundamental character traits needed to lead in the 21^st Century. Customers are constantly being educated, and more startups increase the competition. Only creative leaders who can create real solutions customized to meet people’s needs are likely to thrive. The leader must be curious and always ask what could be done to improve the organization’s operation. Leaders who stay in their comfort zones will not succeed in the contemporary corporate landscape. A curious leader who is ready to take risks and introduce innovative changes to the market is likely to thrive in the discourse (Adler & Delbecq, 2018). Besides being creative and innovative, leaders must be resilient to overcome temporary setbacks. Non-innovative leaders despair when faced with failure while delivering their mandate. Creative leaders learn from all mistakes and research deeper to develop solutions that overcome all challenges. Creative leaders formulate and empower a research and development department to keep the organization informed of the trends and make decisions aligned with the change.

Conclusion

Leadership plays a significant role in the success of organizations and institutions. A leader’s actions and words must be a motivating factor for a business to thrive. Numerous changes, such as geopolitical volatility, globalization, technological disruptions, and shifting demographics, mar the 21st Century. Leaders must navigate through all the challenges to maintain sustainability in their businesses. Leaders in the 21^st Century can lead and manage if they possess innovation, creativity, and cultural competence. Further, the leaders must be able to create social networks and have an inspirational purpose that gives the business a reason to exist. Leaders must also be resilient and learn from mistakes. Leaders who fail to possess such skills in the 21^st Century are likely to fail in their mandate.

References

Adler, N. J., & Delbecq, A. L. (2018). Twenty-first-century leadership: A return to beauty. Journal of Management Inquiry, 27(2), 119-137. Web.

Corbett, F., & Spinello, E. (2020). Connectivism and leadership: harnessing a learning theory for the digital age to redefine leadership in the twenty-first Century. Heliyon, 6(1), e03250. Web.

van Kemenade, E., & Hardjono, T. W. (2018). Twenty-first Century total quality management: the emergence paradigm. The TQM Journal. Web.