Innovative companies are redefining what it means to be a leader. The Harvard Business Review recently released a study in which they studied a new kind of leadership style, which they call “challenge-driven leadership” and has become evident in the student body at MIT. Challenge-driven leadership does not require the traditional hierarchy that many associate with leadership roles as it doesn’t really relate to how the leader handles interpersonal relationships. It has more to do with the fact that at MIT, leaders are gravitating towards problems, intentionally seeking out seemingly unsolvable problems so that they can be the ones to solve them.
This problem-centered leadership style is not necessarily the solution to every company’s leadership style, but it has been rapidly spreading as enterprises rethink their leadership styles according to a variable market. The digital age has brought increasingly accessible opportunity and unprecedented levels of connectivity, and business has become more about who is solving what problems than who is in charge of what.
These new innovations in leadership are as important as innovations in product, and its important to figure out what leadership style works for your enterprise. Establishing that style is a similar process to establishing your enterprise’s brand, and should be treated as such. Paying attention to who gets fired or leaves voluntarily and who sticks around can help you analyze the type of work environment you’ve built and what kind of workers thrive in it. This can be especially useful in the hiring process, as it can help you determine which personalities could be good fits and potential leaders. Knowing what kind of leaders your enterprise produces can help you alter your workflow accordingly and establish an effective leadership brand.
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