The Sustainable Leader
American leadership expert Barret Brown developed the thesis that in order to lead institutions, companies, and governments, new leaders must be sustainable - constantly seeking new forms and sources of knowledge. To do this, they must develop the capacity to face and navigate complex problems and challenges in the economic, environmental, and social landscape, in the face of global demands placed before them.
Leadership is often confused with a title or position. It is always important to remember, however, that to lead, we do not need to hold management positions or be responsible for a team. Any person who exercises significant influence in a decision-making process has, in that moment, experienced authentic leadership - they had followers in that opportunity, based on their opinions or ideas. This perspective must become conscious for those who also hold formal positions of authority, because these individuals need to embrace the influence they carry over a particular group by virtue of having greater knowledge, maturity, and the courage to choose a path that may or may not lead to success.
Leveraging the Intelligence of the Group
Drawing on the experience of people within organizations and on their diverse points of view should be a recurring capability in leaders. How many projects - and even external consultancies - are contracted because of a serious failure in cohesion, understanding, appreciation, and the competence to guide groups through active listening, and to direct diverse information so it can be processed, aligned, and used as the basis for goals and action plans that benefit the organization and all who are part of it, internally and externally.
The "new leader" must awaken not only to make the most of people's talent, but also to learn to accept, discard, and integrate any and all information that can be used in their management - in pursuit of growth, innovation, and an updated approach to leading and delivering results.
Leadership Capacity as a Core Requirement
The capacity for leadership tends to be a fundamental requirement in the management of any business, regardless of whether the venture is small, medium, or large. Companies with more mature management processes already include leadership criteria in the evaluation of executives and managers - criteria considered indispensable for day-to-day practice. In many cases, this evaluation is carried out by an external partner who has the independence or greater impartiality to deliver that result in a neutral and objective way.
The new era of leadership is one of continuous learning, openness to complexity, and the courage to put the intelligence of the whole organization to work. Those who embrace this shift are the leaders the moment calls for.