Leading? Make it simple, but significant.

Everyone knows the role of a leader. Yes, role. What's written on the business card, the e-mail signatures and so on. But that's just an inscription.

 Organizations expect certain responsibilities from their leaders. Decision, vision, energy, focus, results, guidance, responsibility for the company's goals. The one who goes ahead to illuminate, but (should) be the last in line, in case of catastrophe. Yes, this is it. Operationally speaking. But it is much more than these typical tasks.

 A leader is above all a person. He has strong emotions, strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. And this is where the foundations of future leadership lie (in my view and several years in leadership positions).

 Today's generations want their helmsman to be "real", like them, and to see in their weaknesses the ability of the organization to grow, innovate and learn together, and that the forces, bring vigour, energy, pride, influence and inspiration, to overcome together every day.

 As Robin Sharma says, "leadership is not about a position or title. It's about connection and influence." The leadership is achieved at every turn. In moments of success, of difficulties, or in moments of greatest demand for all.

 In the last 25 years, I have embraced, many positions, with leadership credits. I've noticed that leadership is not watertight and is constantly changing, as long as the person really wants to evolve and grow with the changes. No fears or fears.

 I am grateful, for all the people who have passed through my different professional journeys, until today, because they have helped me to grow, so that each day I could become a better person and as such a better leader. There is still a long way to go, and so I share what I consider to be the most precious characteristics a leader can have.

 The person that current and future generations aspire and want by their side, to lead organizations, whose configurations, as we know, are very different from some years ago.

 I share, as my vision, the four main attitudes in the future of leadership. They are characteristics, based on personal values and principles, and are born with you and developed throughout life as we are put to the test.

 1.Vulnerability – This is courage. Vulnerability allows me to understand my weaknesses, to accept them and with that grow, learn, innovate and create a working environment where everyone feels they can have the same courage. As researcher Brené Brown writes, "vulnerability is not winning or losing. It is having the courage to expose oneself even without being able to control the result" - Can you do that? Yes, you can, once you have taken the big step - stop thinking that vulnerability is being weak or a shame. This brings me to the next;

 2.Humility – This is strength. Where does this shame of being vulnerable come from? From our ego. He is constantly wanting to "get his skin off (his ego, not yours)" and when he controls your life, the shame of being vulnerable arises, the fear of failure and the pride of foresight. The ego feeds on all this. The good news is that you let him do this. You control your mind, but we usually let the ego do it for us. Humility is the "new pride". I would say, if pride knew how beneficial it is to be humble, pride would be humble only to then feel proud.

 3.Inspiring – This is encouraging. The leader of the future, influences people positively. To inspire is to help people discover the best in themselves and can give of themselves to the world and to themselves. Encouraging, at every moment, to be a better version of themselves, being them to make that self-discovery.

 4.Connection – This is empathy. To connect you have to have a strong empathy. And empathy, it's not sympathy. Empathy is the ability to put yourself on the other side, on "each other's feet" and without judgment. To listen consciously and if possible, not to open one's mouth, not to say the right thing at the right time. Empathy creates connections, which are more than just sympathetic connections. Sympathy is "see what you feel" and empathy is "feel what you feel". As Stephen Covey writes, "when we show a deep empathy for others, their negative energy gives way to positive energy. This state allows for more creativity in problem solving".

These four attitudes are fundamental for the rooting of constructive leaders and leaderships. Therefore, more than technical skills (anybody can learn these on an MBA), the emotional and spiritual skills play an important role in leading future generations. The true values and principles of good human being, based on these attitudes, are the "new gold" sought in the leaders of the future.

 Sónia Jerónimo. Entrepreneur & Coach to inspire a common purpose mission.