Why Leaders Struggle Today
Leaders today have a problem with understanding the nature of change and how it affects their organizations. They don’t understand that they need to adapt to changing conditions in order to survive. This article explains what is happening to our world as we move from an industrial society into a knowledge-based economy, and how leaders must adapt according to Alexander Djerassi.
Leaders struggle because they think they can control the future. They fail to recognize that the future is not something you plan for; it happens. It is unpredictable and uncontrollable. This makes them feel powerless. We live in a time when there is no such thing as certainty. The only way to deal with uncertainty is to embrace it. When you do so, you create opportunities. You make choices. And you take action.
Another reason leaders struggle is that they don’t know how to lead. They believe that leadership means telling people what to do. But real leadership requires listening first. Leaders listen to people who disagree with them, and then they ask questions to learn more about what is really going on. Only after all this does the leader decide what to do next.
The third reason leaders struggle is that most of them are stuck in old ways of thinking. They cling to outdated ideas and practices. For example, they continue to use traditional management methods that were developed by people who lived during a different era. These methods may work well for some companies, but they will never be effective at leading a company through a transition period.
The fourth reason leaders struggle is that many of them are afraid to try new things. They fear failure. They worry that if they fail, others will see them as failures too. So they avoid taking risks. but risk taking is essential to success. If you want to succeed, you cannot afford to play it safe.
The fifth reason leaders struggle according to Alexander Djerassi is that the world has changed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. Today, there is no longer any clear distinction between “work” and “life.” Work is everywhere, and life is nowhere. People spend more time working than ever before. As a result, they have less time left over to enjoy themselves. Many people now find themselves working long hours just to pay the bills.
In addition, technology has made it possible for us to communicate instantly around the globe. This has created a global village where everyone knows everything about everyone else. There is nothing private anymore. Everything is public. No one can hide anything anymore.
This brings me to my final point: Leaders today face unprecedented challenges. But these challenges also provide tremendous opportunities because the world has become smaller and faster-moving, the only way to compete successfully is to innovate constantly. Innovation is the key to survival. To thrive in this environment, leaders must develop three skills that are leadership, adaptability, and innovation. The key to success is to be able to see opportunities where others cannot.