Over time, we form strong and lasting impressions of business leaders. Asked about leaders we admire, images of strong, determined, visionary men frequently jump to mind. If we think about questionable leaders, pictures of egotistical, self-serving, driven men often leap to the forefront.

 

Such images are not surprising. Despite growth in the numbers of women in the management ranks, less than two percent of today’s CEOs are female.

 

Perceptions of leadership have not kept pace with the business reality we face today. Demands placed on leaders have changed. The context of management is one of information overload, rapid technological change, time constraints, diverse workforces, increased scrutiny, inter-dependent financial markets, complex supply chains, and demands for short-term returns. Middle managers have all but disappeared. And a sole focus on the bottom line is no longer deemed adequate and people must work collaboratively across sectors.

 

Yet, trust in business is close to an all time low, which hinders the collaboration needed to address intractable problems. Accompanying these daunting conditions are demands on business to serve the greater good and take a role in solving social and environmental problems. A new generation of employees seeks more work-life balance and purpose beyond economic returns.

 

In response, business organizations have changed. Business must have a global outlook, if not in terms of operations, at least in terms of competition. Hierarchical structures are immensely flat, participative, and distributed. Whereas once competition was king, it is now firms which can best collaborate that win the day.

 

Business can no longer just optimize its economic returns. It must create value for multiple stakeholder groups -- customers, shareholders, employees, supply chains, and the communities in which it operates.

 

A new type of leader is needed for these emerging forms. We call these people “syncretic stewards.” The term syncretic reflects the need to incorporate diverse thinking and management styles into a whole greater than the sum of the parts. The word steward reflects the need for today’s leaders to conserve resources, focus on sustainability, and leave a positive legacy for future generations.

 

Syncretic leaders must have a new and different skills set, attitudes, and attributes. They must be generalists, like decathletes. Where once technical skills ruled the day, people skills have risen to the top. No single leader has all the answers – they must rely on others to complement their point of view. Rather than being rigid, they must be resilient and adaptable to manage under conditions of rapid change. Rather than command and control, they must empower others, and find the unique value of every employee no matter what their background. They must value, respect, and give voice to diversity.

 

Trainers within organizations, and educators within colleges and universities, must pay more attention to the new skill sets that are needed. Old models must give way to new models if Canadian business is to move forward.