Every organisation needs good leaders to succeed. Based on interviews with headhunters and management professors, Djoef has identified three major leadership challenges in the years to come: the shift from manager to distributed leadership, new types of organisations, and the autonomy of the employee. You can support your boss by addressing these challenges.
Shift to distributed leadership
There will be fewer formal managers and more employees in temporary leadership positions.
It will be a new form of ‘distributed leadership’ in projects, task forces, organisational networks and partnerships.
Prepare yourself as an employee to be more proactive in this transition. Be responsive to delegation and help the manager be specific about delegated authority.
New types of organisations
Traditional boundaries of the organisation will be tested. Products and services will be developed in closer contact with customers, users and partners from different industries. New technology and the connection to the internet of services and physical products will drive this development. More often companies will recruit short-term consultants, interim employees or volunteers.
As an employee you can spot future trends and invite dialogue about coming developments in your field. Bring untraditional thoughts to the table and be engaged in the professional dialogue.
The autonomy of the employee
In many ways employees are expected to act with more autonomy. Employees will look for the best managers to promote their ideas and talent. The organisation will be like an internal labour market. Employees are also increasingly assigned to tasks outside the department or at partner organisations.
Only high levels of trust and more personal working relationships can make this more floating and flexible organisation a success. Ask yourself what you can do to increase the level of trust. Could you develop a more personal working relationship with your manager and colleagues?
