What Does our Future Leader Look Like and Sound Like?

The world of leadership is changing.

67% of our largest generation does not look like or sound like the current leadership. Who will lead this next generation?

What I see is that the next generation engages, follows, and leans into a new kind of leader.

An authentic kind of leader.

A humble kind of leader.

A smart kind of leader.

A leader who asks them what THEY think.

A purpose - not profit - driven kind of leader.

A connectable and relatable kind of leader.

The interesting thing about our current leadership, and what EY tells us, is that 93% of our leaders grew up playing sport.

What we also know is that ONLY 16% of people really love what they do for a living.

The Clifton/Harter team at Gallup states that the #1 reason they do not love their job - is their LEADER.

What we know is that we do not begin to train our leaders until 10-12 years into their career. This forces habits of protection, deflection, hiding. These are all progressive habits. And left untrained for 10 years, become like concrete.

We must look at our leadership selection or training formula.

Maybe we have been doing this leadership thingy all wrong..

There is a psychological tool that I use – we have always thought that 3 specific scales were “Leadership” scales:

·     Control

·     Self-Confidence

·     Physically Competitive

Let’s talk about the last scale, physically competitive.

Dr. Amy Cuddy talks about how people should extend WARMTH first, then COMPETENCE. Obviously, warmth builds trust.

What I have seen that those high in physically competitive extend COMPETENCE first. Those high in physically competitive generally are the ones who puff up like peacocks when they walk in the room. They love competing with others. Sometimes this becomes the one thing that drives wedges between people.

Therefore, what could a different answer to leadership be?

What DOES our future leader look like and sound like?

Right now, we are experiencing a paradigm shift

Maybe, just maybe, it is our chance to rethink who we select to put in leadership roles.

OR how we train OUR FUTURE leaders.

Earlier, before the wrong habits are cemented, like plastic.

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Can we build a different kind of leader?

Leaders who will lead us into the future.

Leaders who take care of our "Mama’s" of the world.

Leaders who can help us care for each other.

Leadership help us grow together, discover and leverage our strengths.

What if we built leaders who did not compete all the time.

Leaders not focused on self-aggrandizement...

but leaders who helped others succeed.

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Leaders who are OPEN. Leaders without bias’ and closed networks.

What if we built leaders with a difference kind of face, a different - purpose driven - kind of energy, a HUGE heart & a level of curiousity and intelligence - Like Claude Silver?

 Well, I SEE leaders that look like Eva Hongya He. 

Eva has this TREMENDOUS profile, but others may not look at her as a 'leader.' 5'1". Happy. Kind. INTELLIGENT. Hard Working. Bilingual & 9% physically competitive.

She does not compete. She collaborates. She inspires success, together.

In our distracted world, Eva brings focus..

In our world filled with worry and anxiety and overthinking, Eva brings kindness and solid decision making..

In a world where we are very busy, but do not really go anywhere, Eva brings focus, productivity and innovation..

In a world full of self-absorption, Eva inclusively inspires us to try harder, INCLUDE others..

Be kinder.

Work smarter.

…Think forward.

Eva is this tremendous, values-centered, kind, curious, intelligent soul.

Her open mindset - her UNDERDOG mindset sets her apart.

Eva looks different, acts different and IS different from the leaders of the past.

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Maybe, just maybe, it is our chance to rethink who we see and who we train as our future leaders.

From what I see, it will be the Eva’s of the world who will drive us forward into our future.