“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” – John C. Maxwell

A well-known author and speaker, Jacob Morgan, has been studying the future of leadership, and he provides us with some thoughtful insights as he describes the four “mindsets” of the successful future leader:

1. Global Citizen: The mentality of the “Global Citizen” means thinking globally and embracing diversity. Leaders need to understand and appreciate new cultures, actively seek diverse teams, lead employees with different backgrounds, and have the know-how to enter and succeed in new global markets.
2. Servant: The servant mindset goes against much of the old way of thinking that leaders stay at the top of the company. The mindset of service means that you practice humility and that you serve four groups: your leaders (if you have them), your customers, your team, and yourself.
3. Chef: Similar to chefs balancing ingredients to create masterful meals, leaders must balance the two most essential ingredients of any business: technology and humanity. That means embracing technology and using it to improve efficiency in the organization while also providing a sense of purpose and caring for human employees. One side can’t succeed without the other.
4. Explorer: Future leaders need to be like explorers of old and embrace the unknown. They need to be open to new ideas and change course as the world around them evolves. Just like explorers had to learn continually, leaders need to be super perpetual leaders and practice curiosity. [1]

I think these four leadership “mindsets” must be ingrained in our leaders today to be fully operational tomorrow.  How do we begin that process?

First, we must embrace them ourselves.  We must be open to new ideas – truly open to them.  That means actively modeling curiosity in our leadership behaviors.  Use questions to guide discussions.  Make them meaningful questions, such as “What are your biggest challenges this week?” and “What resource do you need that you currently don’t have to accomplish your mission?”

Next, we have to become effective collaborators: teaching our young leaders the critical importance of working effectively with others and building strong relationships.  Humility, teamwork, and communication skills will be the key characteristics of the most successful leaders of tomorrow… but we can start them on this path today.

Enjoy the journey!

[1] These four “mindsets” were developed and published by Jacob Morgan in his book The Future Leader and cited in Benjamin Laker’s article “This Is What Leadership Will Be In 2030” in Forbes online; August 5, 2020.

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