We live in times of great uncertainty, of huge volatility and where everything happens at a breakneck pace. When talking about VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), a few years ago, we were far from imagining a context like the one we live in 2020.Yes, it is a fact that changes occur increasingly faster and faster, but the truth is that each one of us, and in the different aspects of our life, was faced with the need to adapt overnight to an unknown reality, creating new habits, routines and the ways we live. The organizations and their leaders went through exactly the same process, where adaptation at all levels was, and still is, a matter of survival.

Korn Ferry, a company focused on the issues of leadership, developed a number of studies on these matters in order to understand the true impact of this new world on organizations, seeking to answer questions such as: What is the most effective leadership style? What is the profile of the successful leader? What are the most important characteristics and skills? The answers to these questions are not easy, but it is clear, and 2020 has accentuated the conclusion that a different leadership style is needed today.

The way how most organizations, regardless of their size and sector of activity, public or private, dealt with the situation generated by Covid highlighted some of the traits of this new leadership style: more collaborative, more agile, transparent and where the security of each employee became a priority issue. Korn Ferry calls this new leadership style, inclusive leadership and/or inclusive leader.

An inclusive leader manages to establish a close relationship with his teams and with his workers, creating a “safe” workspace where fear and uncertainty can be turned into hope and optimism. A leader who looks at the individuality of each member of his team, enhancing the contribution of each, taking advantage of this diversity of thought while promoting a much more collaborative approach, making sure better decisions are made and ensuring the resolution of complex problems.

Much has been said about diversity, centred unfortunately pretty much on gender diversity, and the advantages it can bring to an organization, but what is clear is that diversity, whatever it may be (gender, generation, experience, culture, etc…) is not enough on its own. What’s the point of having people with different points of view and opinions if they are unable to work as a team and reach consensus that will allow them to move forward? A leader (a leadership) must be able to enhance these differences of opinion / ideas / points of view and translate them into results / performance. Then we will have an inclusive leader. There are countless studies on the market that prove the value and the advantages that this type of leadership may bring at different levels, from the decision-making process, to the commitment/engagement of employees, innovation, productivity, etc…

In my professional activity, I am often asked the question of what are the fundamental skills or what distinguishes a leader today, or what the market is looking for. Well, the model developed by Korn Ferry provides an answer to these questions by identifying the individual characteristics, competences and experiences that define the leaders who wish to be inclusive today.

The individual characteristics are related to the personality and values of each one, and are relevant to the extent that they shape the behaviours, defining the willingness to accept and deal with the difference. Those that, according to the Korn Ferry study, are most common in inclusive leaders are: authenticity linked with a certain humbleness, being able to put your ego aside in order to generate trust; emotional resilience, that is, the ability to maintain its stance when faced with the difficulties and adversities caused by the difference; self-confidence and optimism; flexibility in that it adapts to difference and is able to tolerate ambiguity; and curiosity showing empathy and openness to difference.

These characteristics alone are not enough to ensure inclusive leadership, it’s also necessary to have the skills to do so. At this point, the study identifies the following as the most important: ´builds interpersonal trust´ (honest, seeking to identify common points while valuing different perspectives), integrates diverse perspectives (considers various points of view and needs, managing conflict of interests) effectively), optimizes talent (ability to motivate and develop talent, promoting collaboration through differences), applies an adaptive mindset (global vision, able to adapt to situations, innovating from differences), achieves transformation (courage to face difficult situations, persuasion and achieves results).

The bad news is that inclusive leaders are hard to find, hence the importance of creating the right conditions for their development. Although these characteristics and skills are closely related to each other’s identity and way of being, and therefore more difficult to develop, the truth is that the same study by Korn Ferry concluded that some experiences can help in this process. These experiences are varied and can take place at different times in life, and above all they are related to exposure to different cultures, geographies, contexts and environments. We talk about situations like growing up and studying in a country other than the one where you work, doing volunteer work, being in an environment where you represent a minority, having an assignment as an expatriate, etc.

In the world we live in today, which is increasingly global, where disruption is continuous and materializes at a dizzying speed, knowing how to deal effectively with difference becomes critical!

We live in times of great uncertainty, of huge volatility and where everything happens at a breakneck pace. When talking about VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), a few years ago, we were far from imagining a context like the one we live in 2020.Yes, it is a fact that changes occur increasingly faster and faster, but the truth is that each one of us, and in the different aspects of our life, was faced with the need to adapt overnight to an unknown reality, creating new habits, routines and the ways we live. The organizations and their leaders went through exactly the same process, where adaptation at all levels was, and still is, a matter of survival.

Korn Ferry, a company focused on the issues of leadership, developed a number of studies on these matters in order to understand the true impact of this new world on organizations, seeking to answer questions such as: What is the most effective leadership style? What is the profile of the successful leader? What are the most important characteristics and skills? The answers to these questions are not easy, but it is clear, and 2020 has accentuated the conclusion that a different leadership style is needed today.

The way how most organizations, regardless of their size and sector of activity, public or private, dealt with the situation generated by Covid highlighted some of the traits of this new leadership style: more collaborative, more agile, transparent and where the security of each employee became a priority issue. Korn Ferry calls this new leadership style, inclusive leadership and/or inclusive leader.

An inclusive leader manages to establish a close relationship with his teams and with his workers, creating a “safe” workspace where fear and uncertainty can be turned into hope and optimism. A leader who looks at the individuality of each member of his team, enhancing the contribution of each, taking advantage of this diversity of thought while promoting a much more collaborative approach, making sure better decisions are made and ensuring the resolution of complex problems.

Much has been said about diversity, centred unfortunately pretty much on gender diversity, and the advantages it can bring to an organization, but what is clear is that diversity, whatever it may be (gender, generation, experience, culture, etc…) is not enough on its own. What’s the point of having people with different points of view and opinions if they are unable to work as a team and reach consensus that will allow them to move forward? A leader (a leadership) must be able to enhance these differences of opinion / ideas / points of view and translate them into results / performance. Then we will have an inclusive leader. There are countless studies on the market that prove the value and the advantages that this type of leadership may bring at different levels, from the decision-making process, to the commitment/engagement of employees, innovation, productivity, etc…

In my professional activity, I am often asked the question of what are the fundamental skills or what distinguishes a leader today, or what the market is looking for. Well, the model developed by Korn Ferry provides an answer to these questions by identifying the individual characteristics, competences and experiences that define the leaders who wish to be inclusive today.

The individual characteristics are related to the personality and values of each one, and are relevant to the extent that they shape the behaviours, defining the willingness to accept and deal with the difference. Those that, according to the Korn Ferry study, are most common in inclusive leaders are: authenticity linked with a certain humbleness, being able to put your ego aside in order to generate trust; emotional resilience, that is, the ability to maintain its stance when faced with the difficulties and adversities caused by the difference; self-confidence and optimism; flexibility in that it adapts to difference and is able to tolerate ambiguity; and curiosity showing empathy and openness to difference.

These characteristics alone are not enough to ensure inclusive leadership, it’s also necessary to have the skills to do so. At this point, the study identifies the following as the most important: ´builds interpersonal trust´ (honest, seeking to identify common points while valuing different perspectives), integrates diverse perspectives (considers various points of view and needs, managing conflict of interests) effectively), optimizes talent (ability to motivate and develop talent, promoting collaboration through differences), applies an adaptive mindset (global vision, able to adapt to situations, innovating from differences), achieves transformation (courage to face difficult situations, persuasion and achieves results).

The bad news is that inclusive leaders are hard to find, hence the importance of creating the right conditions for their development. Although these characteristics and skills are closely related to each other’s identity and way of being, and therefore more difficult to develop, the truth is that the same study by Korn Ferry concluded that some experiences can help in this process. These experiences are varied and can take place at different times in life, and above all they are related to exposure to different cultures, geographies, contexts and environments. We talk about situations like growing up and studying in a country other than the one where you work, doing volunteer work, being in an environment where you represent a minority, having an assignment as an expatriate, etc.

In the world we live in today, which is increasingly global, where disruption is continuous and materializes at a dizzying speed, knowing how to deal effectively with difference becomes critical!

We live in times of great uncertainty, of huge volatility and where everything happens at a breakneck pace. When talking about VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), a few years ago, we were far from imagining a context like the one we live in 2020.Yes, it is a fact that changes occur increasingly faster and faster, but the truth is that each one of us, and in the different aspects of our life, was faced with the need to adapt overnight to an unknown reality, creating new habits, routines and the ways we live. The organizations and their leaders went through exactly the same process, where adaptation at all levels was, and still is, a matter of survival.

Korn Ferry, a company focused on the issues of leadership, developed a number of studies on these matters in order to understand the true impact of this new world on organizations, seeking to answer questions such as: What is the most effective leadership style? What is the profile of the successful leader? What are the most important characteristics and skills? The answers to these questions are not easy, but it is clear, and 2020 has accentuated the conclusion that a different leadership style is needed today.

The way how most organizations, regardless of their size and sector of activity, public or private, dealt with the situation generated by Covid highlighted some of the traits of this new leadership style: more collaborative, more agile, transparent and where the security of each employee became a priority issue. Korn Ferry calls this new leadership style, inclusive leadership and/or inclusive leader.

An inclusive leader manages to establish a close relationship with his teams and with his workers, creating a “safe” workspace where fear and uncertainty can be turned into hope and optimism. A leader who looks at the individuality of each member of his team, enhancing the contribution of each, taking advantage of this diversity of thought while promoting a much more collaborative approach, making sure better decisions are made and ensuring the resolution of complex problems.

Much has been said about diversity, centred unfortunately pretty much on gender diversity, and the advantages it can bring to an organization, but what is clear is that diversity, whatever it may be (gender, generation, experience, culture, etc…) is not enough on its own. What’s the point of having people with different points of view and opinions if they are unable to work as a team and reach consensus that will allow them to move forward? A leader (a leadership) must be able to enhance these differences of opinion / ideas / points of view and translate them into results / performance. Then we will have an inclusive leader. There are countless studies on the market that prove the value and the advantages that this type of leadership may bring at different levels, from the decision-making process, to the commitment/engagement of employees, innovation, productivity, etc…

In my professional activity, I am often asked the question of what are the fundamental skills or what distinguishes a leader today, or what the market is looking for. Well, the model developed by Korn Ferry provides an answer to these questions by identifying the individual characteristics, competences and experiences that define the leaders who wish to be inclusive today.

The individual characteristics are related to the personality and values of each one, and are relevant to the extent that they shape the behaviours, defining the willingness to accept and deal with the difference. Those that, according to the Korn Ferry study, are most common in inclusive leaders are: authenticity linked with a certain humbleness, being able to put your ego aside in order to generate trust; emotional resilience, that is, the ability to maintain its stance when faced with the difficulties and adversities caused by the difference; self-confidence and optimism; flexibility in that it adapts to difference and is able to tolerate ambiguity; and curiosity showing empathy and openness to difference.

These characteristics alone are not enough to ensure inclusive leadership, it’s also necessary to have the skills to do so. At this point, the study identifies the following as the most important: ´builds interpersonal trust´ (honest, seeking to identify common points while valuing different perspectives), integrates diverse perspectives (considers various points of view and needs, managing conflict of interests) effectively), optimizes talent (ability to motivate and develop talent, promoting collaboration through differences), applies an adaptive mindset (global vision, able to adapt to situations, innovating from differences), achieves transformation (courage to face difficult situations, persuasion and achieves results).

The bad news is that inclusive leaders are hard to find, hence the importance of creating the right conditions for their development. Although these characteristics and skills are closely related to each other’s identity and way of being, and therefore more difficult to develop, the truth is that the same study by Korn Ferry concluded that some experiences can help in this process. These experiences are varied and can take place at different times in life, and above all they are related to exposure to different cultures, geographies, contexts and environments. We talk about situations like growing up and studying in a country other than the one where you work, doing volunteer work, being in an environment where you represent a minority, having an assignment as an expatriate, etc.

In the world we live in today, which is increasingly global, where disruption is continuous and materializes at a dizzying speed, knowing how to deal effectively with difference becomes critical!