Evolutionary Development: A Leadership Model for the Digital Era

Leadership development is a clear corporate priority, and for good reason. Your leaders are the foot soldiers of your company. Their impact on the bottom line cannot be ignored; leaders maintain the competitive advantage and growth of your business, drive innovation and productivity, capitalize on business opportunities and develop and retain top talent. In the U.S. alone, companies spend more than $15 billion annually on leadership development programs.

But – in the last 10 years, have the necessary skills and expectations of today’s leader evolved significantly? Absolutely. And learning leaders ought to shift their leadership training to reflect this new era and accompanying business challenges.

Leadership Development – We Need a New Model

With Millenials as the largest generation in the workforce and the digital revolution charging forward with increasing velocity – a leader’s responsibilities in today’s business environment are daunting. These factors are bringing forth new ideas and the pace of business is faster than ever. It’s reshaping the consumer behaviors and demands, how we run our businesses and the even way we work. These transformations have even challenged the value of humanity itself, demanding higher-level human skillsets and deeper forms of sharing.

The need for leadership development is only deepening and broadening, setting the stage for a leader who thrives on and even encourages change and disruption. Yet, 71 percent of organizations do not feel that their leaders are prepared to lead their businesses into the future.[1]

Today’s businesses need leaders who don’t cater to office politics or strategically position power, but exercise wisdom, challenge the status quo, and envision the complex interdependence of systems and stakeholders.

Evolutionary Development provides a modern methodology for organizations to displace build up a new kind of leader who will not only adapt to dynamic business challenges, but also foster the abilities of the team and individuals across the organization to thrive amid change.

This new leader will identify roadblocks and opportunities and establish processes that align with the deeply-held purpose and values that govern their leadership – and the organization. In doing so, they are considering the impact of these changes on people’s behavior and mindsets. And use this daily operation to foster deeper motivational and behavioral alignment.

In its fullest form, Evolutionary Development focuses on how people think and feel, how they act, and how the entire organization operates. But leaders can also execute at any of these three levels, positioning themselves at the edge of that comfort zone where people are willing to travel to see what stands beyond.

Download The Guide to Evolutionary Development to learn how to grow leaders that drive innovation, productivity, and thrive amid change.

[CALLOUT] The need for leadership is only deepening and broadening, setting the stage for a leader who thrives on and even encourages change and disruption.

[1] Brandon Hall’s State of Leadership Development 2015