Does a man or woman have the right to lead without earning it!? It can be gained by election or appointment, but does position, title, rank, or degrees qualify anyone to lead other people!? It doesn’t come automatically from age or experience, either. So, the right to lead and become an effective leader can only be earned, and that takes time and learning!
The list of problems we are facing in the 21st century is daunting. From climate change to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, humanity’s survival will depend on leadership that can chart a course through an uncertain and turbulent sea of constant change.
Today, more than at any time in our history, we need effective leadership. We need leaders who are capable of finding solutions to the astonishing number of problems we face and the vision to anticipate and lessen the future problems that await us.
Leadership is about guiding and influencing groups to achieve what they can't do alone. Surprisingly, some with formal titles fail at it, while others, without authority, inspire trust and energy through their actions.
Leadership isn’t something you’re born with; it’s a skill you develop. It’s all about the right mindset, behaviors, and getting results. Good leaders know their strategies must fit the situation and stage of their organization. The overall health of the organization is key to long-term success.
In business, those with strong leadership skills often rise to top roles like CEO or CIO. Think of tech leaders like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos—they’ve shown what great leadership can achieve.
But leadership isn't about fitting a mold. Today’s leaders come in all forms. What truly matters is their ability to spark enthusiasm, empower others, build confidence, and inspire those around them. It’s a big challenge, but let’s start by understanding what leadership really means.
Despite their diversity, exceptional leaders follow these daily practices.
Genuinely inspiring leaders remain islands of positivity and find the bright side of any issue in the face of challenges and failures. If you want to be truly inspirational, show others the silver lining.
Tyrants with brilliant vision can only command a reluctant following. They burn people out before they get to see what they are capable of. Focus on approachability, humility, and positivity.
Nothing drains a team's commitment more than when their efforts go unnoticed. Leaders who do not show appreciation for their employees risk putting their businesses at risk. Even small gestures of gratitude show people that they matter.
The greatest leaders have a vision so clear it seems as though it has already come to pass. Inspiring leaders know what their preferred future looks like and exactly how to get there. To truly inspire, know precisely what you are aiming to achieve.
Change is a constant in life, To be an effective leader, you should not only embrace change, and you should promote it.
Hearing is not the same as listening. Inspirational leaders truly listen to what is said to them and respond appropriately. Practice an open door policy to receive your team’s feedback and encourage them to contribute to the common goal. This imparts a shared sense of value because everyone participates and everyone is important.
There are many bosses out there leading companies but not enough leaders. The title of ‘boss’ only signifies power over others. To be called a leader, your must inspire your team through your actions and words to believe in a common vision.
The key to leadership success is to learn to effectively delegate both the responsibility for completing assignments and the authority required to get things done.
No matter how difficult the problem, there is always a quick solution, and leaders are happiest when they are devising solutions to problems. The next time you have a problem to solve in your organization, deal with the cause of the problem instead of simply treating the symptoms.
People are the most important asset of any organization. Without people, nothing is accomplished.
Employees need goals to strive for. Goals give employees direction and purpose. Set specific and measurable goals with your employees and regularly monitor their progress.
Too many bosses do not communicate enough. Leaders must make every effort to get employees the information they need to do their jobs quickly and efficiently. An atmosphere of open, candid communication lets you make effective decisions.
Above all, leadership is a people job. When an employee needs to talk with you, make sure to set aside the time to do so, put down your smartphone and focus on the person standing in front of you.
The key to leadership success is to learn to effectively delegate both the responsibility for completing assignments and the authority required to get things done. The need to control every little thing that employees do is a recipe for disaster. When you delegate work to employees, you multiply the amount of work you can accomplish while you develop your employees' confidence, leadership and work skills.
Every employee wants to do a good job. And when they do a good job, employees want recognition from their bosses. Recognize and reward employees for a job well done.
In addition to continually learning as a leader, encourage your subordinates to constantly upgrade their own skills and knowledge.
The one thing that I would say defines me is I love to learn. I get excited about new things. I buy more books than I read or finish.”
Satya Nadela - Microsoft CEO
Progress comes only through moving into uncharted territory and trying new things. Identify and reward your organization's risk-takers and innovators.
Nothing is created without the effort of several individuals working together. Leverage the diversity and talents within your organization by creating teams.
Without a doubt, running a company is a serious business. Products and services must be sold and delivered and money must be made. Despite the gravity of these responsibilities successful leaders make their organizations fun places to work. Instead of having employees who look for every possible reason to call in sick or to arrive late to work or go home early, organizations which work hard and play hard end up with a more loyal, energized workforce.
These principles form the basic foundation upon which a solid leadership structure can be constructed.
Explore Leadership Courses and Business Management courses from IIM's and Top Universities offered in collaboration with TalentSprint. Many potential C-suite leaders and managers require a different skill set to transition into their next role. Therefore, options such as a course can be a gateway to understanding digital and technological scenarios and their impact on businesses and market analysis to make well-informed decisions.
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Evolution of Leadership in the 21st Century
21st-century leadership is all about disrupting old patterns of operation, learning new things, and transforming. Millennial leadership entails eliminating unspoken biases in people management and creating an ecosystem of communication and collaboration. The pandemic has truly helped industry leaders grasp the essence of business continuity and success. The business leaders themselves have acknowledged the need for change in existing business models and have adopted a people-centric approach to daily operations within the organization.
The demand for specialized leadership courses has grown significantly as professionals recognize the distinct skill set needed for leadership roles. In this article, we explore the evolution of leadership in today's world and how a focused course can equip you with the essential skills to succeed.
In today's fast-paced world, 21st-century leadership is all about how managers and leaders embrace a modern mindset to tackle the unique challenges we're facing. This approach isn't just about traditional leadership qualities—it's about developing new behaviors, skills, and qualities that require dedicated study and continuous training.
By honing these skills, leaders can adopt a leadership style that's not only relevant but essential for navigating today's complex environment. The truth is, 21st-century leadership is a whole new ball game, different from anything managers have encountered before. It's about being prepared for the challenges of today and leading with a forward-thinking approach that sets the stage for success.
The millennial leadership manifesto outlines some critical KRAs for emerging leaders, and they are:
• Lead the organization strategically during unprecedented times and successfully navigate through challenging situations.
• Build organizational resilience by inducing collaborations and nurturing people.
• Combine newer competencies with traditional and proven learnings.
• Operate within the new economic framework in the networked age.
The millennial leadership goals focus on transforming the whole leadership DNA from within. Organizations are currently pushed harder to dwell deep and discover approaches that help foster dynamic business leaders.
Building leadership skills involves continuous learning, self-awareness, and hands-on experience. Educate yourself on leadership through books and courses, and understand your strengths and values to lead authentically. Seek feedback from peers and mentors to improve. Enhance your communication by practicing active listening and clear articulation. Embrace challenges by stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on new responsibilities.
Apart from these, a very effective way to do this in a corporate setting is by really engaging potential leaders in diverse assignments. Another proven way is to encourage them to undergo an academic course. Interestingly, the leadership courses offered by TalentSprint in partnership with top B-schools in India. Such courses have been specifically tailored to train new-age leaders in the newer competencies required in challenging ambiguity.
Leadership courses focuses on five critical aspects of leading an organization, and these are:
Moreover, the evolving organizational leadership calls for a complete transformation of the leadership DNA. There is no place for redundancy as the market and the consumer is constantly changing. In line with the need of the hour, TalentSprint has collaborated with top universities and IIMs in India to design leadership courses that aim to establish a transformative platform for emerging leaders through an interactive pedagogy and its uniquely designed strategic communication workshop. The competitive advantage that one derives by enrolling in this course is unparalleled. A leader not only gets the opportunity to interact with world-class faculty but also gets this phenomenal opportunity to network across the industry verticals.
Leadership in the 21st century has evolved dramatically, driven by rapid technological advancements, globalization, and shifting workplace dynamics requiring a specialized skillset. Amidst the growing need for expertise skills, the leadership course have emerged as a proven pathway. Such courses are designed for working professionals, from aspiring managers to CXOs, these courses focus on strategic thinking and driving success. Whether you're a Digital CXO, business leader, technologist, or entrepreneur, you'll benefit from live sessions, campus visits, and expert guidance. Apply what you learn to real-world challenges and gain the confidence to lead in today's competitive landscape. Enroll today to take your career to the next level.
Click here to learn more about leadership courses!
Leading and learning in the age of AI
Every business today has become a technology business. Technology is embedded in digitalizing processes across functions, in ensuring hybrid work options, in leveraging data for decision making, in reaching out to customers through digital channels, in enabling digital payment solutions and also in many cases, selling digitally. The onset of Generative AI has made this technology imperative even more urgent.
A study from Deloitte Digital emphasizes that 81% of leaders believe AI will significantly impact customer and employee experience in the coming years. However, there are uncertainties around privacy, misinformation, and bias.
In this digitally transformed and still transforming world, today's leaders face a myriad of complex decisions, many of which revolve around technology. These technology decisions encompass strategic planning, resource allocation, risk management, implementation, and deriving value from technology investments.
How do leaders build their skills to ace their dynamic roles?
It is useful to think of leadership skills in this new paradigm as a T shaped structure. If the head of the T represents the domain skills that CXOs imbibe over years of honing their expertise, the long tail of the T represents the technology skills that leaders need to master.
And herein lies the key conundrum in leadership learning today. While domain and functional skills are crafted over years of experience, technology knowledge is not an innate skill for many leaders. Accenture, in a report titled “Let there be change”, revealed that 65% of executives admit they lack the necessary technology expertise for a successful AI-led transformation. This gap underscores the critical need for continuous learning and adaptation among leaders to stay competitive and drive innovation within their organizations.
Which brings us to the next question. What should leaders prioritize in this learning journey and how can they choose the right learning paths?
Leaders need to choose programs that provide both individualized learning as well as the right mix of peer leaders to help augment their learning.
For emerging leaders who are stepping up to critical leadership roles, it is critical to start thinking and planning of technology initiatives that are outcome driven. As a part of that, user research and user centric design thinking are important to plan the right and targeted innovations that can drive outsized impact.
Keeping this goal in mind, we have designed our Advanced Certification Programme in Design thinking and Innovation Management for Leaders with Indian Institute of Management Lucknow to get a practical experience of thinking of technology innovations from first principles. Coupled with that, a specially curated Senior Management Program from Indian Institute of Management Udaipur helps them to align with the key outcomes and performance indicators they would be enabling in their expanded roles.
Leaders attending these programs get to meet other leaders at similar trajectories, combining the course learning with powerful peer learning as well.
Each sector today is at the cusp of a big leap with technology. If the Financial Services industry is today enabling digital lending, payment and savings opportunities, the Edtech sector is assessing how to enable the right student learning outcomes. The sectors are vast and varied and within that, there are specific audience group needs and possible technology led solutions for each of these.
To help emerging and existing leaders design the best-in-class technology solutions for their specific sectors, we have enabled our techno-functional learning modules.
Our Advanced Management Programme in FinTech and Financial Blockchain with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta is the first and longest running FinTech program in the country. It arms leaders with the latest information to craft leadership careers in the rapidly changing world of FinTech where leaders have to balance innovation with regulatory compliance.
"School leaders under-utilize data for decision-making: less than 20% of school leaders use data to make curriculum changes and only 25% use it to incentivize teachers." shares Global School Leaders Report. Our Education Leader's Programme from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, is for Education leaders, teachers and entrepreneurs to navigate the world of Educational Technology and data to make the right data-driven decisions for their learning programs and schools.
Banking is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Statista reports that two third of transactions are expected to go digital by 2026. This would change the way people bank and leaders need to imbibe the mindset to enable such a digital shift across banking solutions. This first of its kind program from National Institute of Business Management, Advanced Programme in Digital Banking and Leadership provides just that practical knowledge and experience for participants.
Through these programs, leaders can learn and apply the technology learning needed specifically, for their individual sectors.
With the current tailwinds from technology, business models for many companies are getting disrupted. Leaders need to act fast to assess the ways in which they can transform their products, customer experience, target segments etc. For example, leaders who can discern valuable AI applications and implement them effectively stand to gain significant organizational efficiencies and drive future-proof innovations. At the same time, while enabling growth, leaders must ensure that robust cybersecurity measures are in place, as the cost of failure is too high.
Through our Advanced Programme in AI for Leaders with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, we strive to provide senior leaders with that personalized learning experience which can enable them, in turn, to develop the right AI solutions for their companies. Similarly, the Advanced Programme in Digital Business Leadership with Indian Institute of Management Calcutta helps senior leaders to assess key digital transformation moments for their businesses.
In today’s world, leaders must first acknowledge their role as technology learning leaders. As technology continues to evolve, so too must the leadership strategies that harness its potential. Every leader, we believe, needs to be a technology leader in this dynamic paradigm. These Learning leaders will be those who prioritize continuous learning, for their teams, and more importantly, for themselves, specifically upskilling themselves on technology-led learning. Through this, they can emerge as the shapeshifters of the emerging leadership juggernaut in the age of AI.
AI for Leaders: What Smart Managers Need to Know in 2025
92 percent of companies plan to increase their AI investments through the next three years. Yet only 1 percent believe they have achieved AI maturity. This gap shows why organizations need AI-savvy leaders to guide them through technological change.
Modern leaders need specific knowledge to succeed in an AI-driven world. This piece shows you how to develop an AI mindset and create a culture that welcomes state-of-the-art solutions. You'll learn to tackle ethical challenges and build a practical AI leadership toolkit that drives your organization's success.
"AI is not going to replace managers, but managers who use AI will replace the managers who do not." - Rob Thomas, IBM Senior Vice President of Software and Cloud
AI is reshaping the very core of leadership. Korn Ferry reports over 82% of CEOs and senior leaders believe AI will dramatically affect their business. Leaders must completely rethink how they run organizations that embrace AI technologies.
Old leadership models based on hierarchy and gut feelings are becoming obsolete quickly. AI now supports a more spread-out style of leadership. Leaders no longer just make decisions - they help their teams use AI tools effectively.
Companies that adopt AI see their leaders step back from micromanaging. These leaders now create AI-driven strategies that match their long-term goals and values. They can offer customized support to every employee, making each person feel valued, even in huge organizations.
AI helps leaders analyze huge amounts of data, spot patterns, and make better decisions faster. They spend less time reading reports and more time asking AI the right questions. This lets them fine-tune strategies based on up-to-the-minute insights.
Leaders need fresh skills to thrive in an AI-driven world. Emotional intelligence has become crucial 74% of executives think AI will be essential, with demand expected to increase sixfold. Leaders must also be incredibly adaptable, culturally aware, and think critically to handle quick changes.
Digital skills now form the foundation of leadership success. Today's leaders should understand how AI, machine learning, and data analytics help make decisions and empower teams. Technical knowledge alone won't cut it.
Ethical judgment remains a uniquely human leadership skill. AI systems make more complex decisions each day. Leaders must ensure these decisions match company values and handle concerns about fairness, privacy, and transparency.
Successful AI-first leaders strike a balance between tech capabilities and human-centered leadership. They show courage by letting go of old methods while creating safe spaces for their teams to share ideas openly.
Business leaders must fundamentally rethink their approach to decisions as they develop an AI mindset. Organizations that take an AI-driven approach are quick to adapt to market changes and position themselves to grow environmentally responsible.
Facts, metrics, and data guide strategic business decisions that are arranged with goals and objectives in data-driven decision-making. Research shows that organizations heavily reliant on data are three times more likely to report the most important improvements in decision-making compared to those who rely less on data.
Leaders must address several challenges as they implement data-driven approaches:
Available analytics tools and continuous training promote data literacy throughout the organization. This creates an effective data-driven culture.
AI processes data and handles repetitive tasks expertly, yet human judgment remains vital to understanding subtle behavioral undercurrents. The future of work creates a partnership where both sides boost each other's strengths.
To cite an instance, AI helps diagnose in healthcare while doctors provide critical thinking and empathetic care. As with customer service, 80% of customers who interact with AI software report positive experiences, while human agents handle complex issues that need nuanced understanding.
Success depends on finding the perfect handoffs between AI systems and human intervention, especially when tasks need creativity, empathy, or ethical judgment.
Employee resistance to AI shows up as three-dimensional concerns: fears, inefficacies, and antipathies. Recent polls reveal only 9% of Americans think AI will benefit society more than harm it.
Leaders can transform resistance into advocacy by:
Success comes from showing how AI complements human capabilities instead of replacing them. This creates new opportunities for employees to upskill and adapt.
To succeed with AI, you need more than just technology you need a purposeful transformation in culture. Research shows that sectors using AI see almost 5 times higher growth in labor productivity. This makes culture development a key priority for forward-thinking leaders.
The future workplace isn't about humans versus machines but humans multiplied by machines. This teamwork combines human creativity and contextual understanding with AI's speed and data-processing capabilities to achieve better outcomes. In spite of that, many organizations still see AI only as an automation tool rather than a collaborative partner.
Projects that combine human-AI teams show clear improvements in decision quality and state-of-the-art potential. As one expert notes, "The value I see in AI is as an aid to humans, as opposed to replacement of humans."
Companies that excel with AI create boundary-breaking cross-functional teams and allow failure to spark creativity. Smart leaders set up "AI sandboxes" where teams can test ideas safely and learn from both wins and setbacks.
Note that 98% of employees believe they will need reskilling or upskilling due to AI. Forward-thinking companies respond by creating dedicated AI learning spaces, with approaches like:
Employee fears affect engagement and performance by a lot. Surveys show that 41% of employees have seen AI replace human decision-making in uncomfortable ways, and one in three job seekers worldwide move because of generative AI disruption.
Trust is the foundation for AI adoption. Without it, employees won't use AI systems, no matter their technical excellence. Companies can build trust through explainable AI (XAI), which shows how models process data and produce results.
Beyond technical approaches, trust needs a culture of ethics and responsibility. Cross-functional ethics committees with data scientists, ethicists, and legal experts can review AI projects. This ensures they match the organization's values and ethical standards.
"What we teach AI reveals our own values." — Demis Hassabis, Co-founder and CEO of DeepMind
Ethical leadership in AI serves as the life-blood of green practices and user trust. A newer study shows that 98% of developers believe regulatory measures must address future privacy issues posed by AI.
AI systems help organizations make ethical decisions by removing potential sources of bias. In spite of that, biases in AI models can discriminate against certain demographics unintentionally. Leaders should conduct regular algorithmic audits and bias tests to spot and reduce discriminatory patterns.
Transparent decision-making creates stakeholder trust. XAI helps users understand and challenge AI-driven decisions specifically. This transparency helps eliminate gender and race discrimination, which remains one of the most important challenges in AI implementation.
Privacy risks stem from vast amounts of data collected for AI systems. AI also makes cybercriminals more capable, with 85% of cybersecurity leaders reporting recent attacks from bad actors using AI.
Leaders must create clear policies for data collection and usage. These policies should follow data minimization principles, which include collecting only what aligns with legal requirements and people's expectations. Setting timelines for data retention and quick deletion of unnecessary data protects privacy better.
Responsible AI governance needs a structured approach to reduce potential risks through:
Governance might seem complex, but a proactive strategy helps organizations prepare for risk management and regulatory compliance. Organizations that implement responsible AI frameworks attract new customers, keep existing ones, and build brand confidence.
Without a doubt, the AI future needs leaders who prioritize ethics alongside breakthroughs.
A well-laid-out system of policies, ethical principles, and legal standards makes AI governance work. Your implementation should prioritize these elements:
Clear policies should embed security, data protection, and transparency into AI development from day one. An ethics leader should step in to guide decisions about ethical AI matters.
The company-wide nature of AI tools demands teamwork across departments. Your ethical AI framework should match your company's culture, goals, and risk tolerance.
Your AI investments need clear metrics from the start to show real value. Define what you want your AI project to achieve and how it fits with your company's bigger picture.
Track numbers that matter - cost savings from automation and new revenue from AI solutions. Keep an eye on performance metrics like reduced downtime, better decisions, and what users say about the system.
ROI measurement works best as an ongoing process, not a one-time check. Your performance monitoring should cover AI applications. Build strong relationships with the people most affected by new AI systems.
Success in leadership during the AI era just needs a delicate balance between tech advancement and people-focused management. AI tools have remarkable capabilities, yet their real value comes from combining them with leadership skills, ethical judgment, and strategic vision.
The best leaders know that AI success comes from three essential elements. A data-informed mindset leads the way. Teams welcome human-AI cooperation. Reliable, ethical frameworks guide the process. These elements work together and create organizations ready for AI-driven growth while keeping human values central.
Leaders who will thrive in 2025 and beyond must become skilled at both technical concepts and people management. Executives who want to improve their AI leadership abilities should look into the IIM Calcutta AI for Leaders Course. This program helps navigate technological changes effectively.
Note that AI leadership doesn't replace human judgment - it helps make better decisions by combining human and machine intelligence. The path to success starts with small, measurable steps that keep long-term strategic goals in focus. This approach ensures smooth AI adoption throughout your organization.
Q1. How is AI changing leadership roles in organizations?
AI is transforming leadership from traditional command-and-control models to more collaborative, AI-augmented approaches. Leaders are becoming enablers who guide teams in leveraging AI tools effectively, focusing on strategic decision-making and fostering innovation rather than micromanaging operations.
Q2. What skills do leaders need to develop for success in an AI-driven world?
Leaders in the AI era need to develop a combination of technical and soft skills. These include emotional intelligence, adaptability, digital literacy, ethical judgment, and the ability to balance human intuition with AI insights. Additionally, they must be able to foster a culture of innovation and address employee concerns about AI.
Q3. How can organizations create a culture that embraces AI innovation?
To create an AI-friendly culture, organizations should focus on fostering human-AI collaboration, encouraging experimentation and learning, addressing employee concerns, and building trust in AI systems. This involves creating cross-functional teams, establishing "AI sandboxes" for safe testing, and implementing transparent AI processes.
Q4. What are the key ethical challenges leaders face when implementing AI?
The main ethical challenges in AI implementation include ensuring fairness and transparency in AI use, managing privacy and security concerns, and developing responsible AI governance frameworks. Leaders must work to eliminate bias in AI models, implement clear data policies, and establish cross-functional ethics committees to address these issues.
Q5. How can leaders measure the return on investment (ROI) of AI initiatives?
Measuring AI ROI requires defining clear metrics aligned with business objectives. Leaders should track quantitative metrics such as cost savings and revenue gains, as well as qualitative feedback from users. Continuous evaluation is crucial, involving performance monitoring tools and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders impacted by AI implementations.
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