The Most Important Leadership Competency
You have said that the most important leadership competency for the 21st century is the ability to navigate differences. Why is this so important right now?
One of the most amazing things we have witnessed in our time is the ability of platforms and technology to connect us all virtually. But with this vast ecosystem of connectedness comes an obligation to really take in and absorb what is coming at us — and not simply from the lens of our own experience. We need to attempt to understand other people’s experiences. Effective leadership is not simply about leading people who are like-minded. It is about leading across differences. Notice that I say across, not or with differences? That’s because to me the terms ‘managing’ and ‘dealing with’ problematize ‘the other’. Instead, we need to elevate the other from something foreign to be suspicious or wary of, to something that we are curious about and from which we can learn.
