The question every leader faces today
Many of us wonder what skills we will truly need to thrive as leaders, professionals and individuals in today’s fragile, non-linear and fast-changing, ever-evolving world – especially in the midst of the current technological explosion.
The advancement of artificial intelligence, the pace of digitalisation and the increasingly rapid economic cycles pose challenges that cannot be addressed solely with spreadsheets, models or proven approaches.
This raises the question of what AI cannot replace. What cannot be automated? Which leadership skills provide long-term competitiveness not only at the individual level, but also at the organisational level?
Skills that will become increasingly valuable in the future
On this topic, I have recently read the book Tomorrowmind, in which the authors identify several key areas based on research. These are the skills worth consciously developing in the years ahead:
- Resilience – the capacity to adapt to unexpected situations and remain steady under pressure.
- Interpersonal skills – building value-based, effective relationships with clients, colleagues and fellow leaders.
- Foresight – recognising possible future scenarios, gathering alternatives and weighing them deliberately.
- Innovation and creativity – generating new ideas that are not only original, but meaningful and useful for a community or organisation.
- Mattering – understanding what truly matters to us, what motivates us, and how we can engage in activities that are aligned with those values.
Why consciously investing time in these pays off
These are often referred to as ‘soft’ skills; however, they carry significant and measurable potential for impact at both the individual and organisational levels. They have a meaningful impact not only on performance, but also on the quality of decision-making, collaboration and long-term sustainability.
The good news is that these skills can be developed – even within a relatively short period of time. The book demonstrates, also based on robust research, that coaching is one of the most effective forms of development which does not give advice, but foster structured thinking, intentional action and better decisions.
From a leadership perspective, these skills are long-term drivers of competitiveness. As a coach, I think that they truly develop when you consciously devote time, attention and energy to them. The question is not whether these skills are needed, but when to start consciously developing them.
If you would like to explore the topic further, here is the English edition of the book.
