Understanding the Evolving Landscape of Leadership
For decades, organizational leadership was associated with firm decision-making, hierarchical authority, and the ability to maintain course despite any situation. This model undoubtedly built solid companies, efficient processes, and measurable results. However, the world has changed, along with the type of leadership that new generations expect and need from those leading them.
The Shift in Priorities
Today’s leadership involves understanding that we are facing a profound cultural transformation. This transformation not only modifies the way of working but also alters the expectations of those who are part of the work environment. People no longer just seek stability or professional growth; their top priorities are well-being, purpose, and leaders who listen, inspire, and act with empathy.
Relevance of the Speaker
Jesús Carmona, CEO of Schneider Electric for Mexico and Central America, acknowledges the current context. With 75% of workers in Mexico experiencing work-related stress according to IMSS data, he emphasizes that we cannot continue operating under old schemes. This highlights a disconnect between how we lead and the real needs of our teams.
Addressing the Root Causes
Carmona identifies that stress often stems from a lack of autonomy, delayed recognition, or the absence of safe spaces for expression. Leading today requires adaptation, questioning old formulas, and building environments where well-being is not an additional benefit but an integral part of the strategy.
Essential Leadership Qualities
Contemporary leadership demands skills not always taught in business schools: emotional intelligence, humility to accept mistakes, the ability to unlearn what was learned, and above all, courage to recognize that leading is no longer about commanding but serving.
However, this doesn’t mean discarding traditional leadership elements. Discipline, strategic vision, and results orientation remain valuable. The difference lies in how we implement them. Today, clarity is more effective when communicated up close. Demanding work becomes more productive when balanced with well-being, and authority is more powerful when exercised with consistency.
Engaging New Generations
Young people don’t reject the idea of having leaders; they reject disconnection, inconsistency, or lack of meaning. They are ready to commit, innovate, and contribute ideas, but only if they feel their voice matters, their emotional health is cared for, and their values align with the organization’s.
Inspiring Leadership
Carmona confirms that good leadership doesn’t impose but inspires. This inspiration is built daily, in every one-on-one conversation, authentic recognition, and decision prioritizing people over processes. This is perhaps the most challenging and transformative aspect of current leadership.
Adapting for Sustainability
Throughout his 28-year career, Carmona has witnessed how an 80-year-old company can evolve technologically, strategically reinvent itself, while preserving an unwavering conviction: human leadership is the most powerful engine of any transformation.
Responsibility Towards New Generations
Carmona emphasizes that leaders today have a responsibility towards new generations. It’s not just about guiding their professional growth but constructing a new work culture with them: one where demand isn’t detached from well-being, success doesn’t involve sacrificing health, and innovation also means caring, connecting, and evolving together.
Leadership as a Journey
Carmona concludes that leadership is a journey, not a destination, traversed with humility, awareness, and the constant will to improve. The true legacy lies in the impact a good leadership can have on people’s lives.
Key Questions and Answers
- Are we truly prepared to listen? Yes, contemporary leadership requires emotional intelligence, humility, the ability to unlearn, and courage.
- What elements of traditional leadership remain valuable? Discipline, strategic vision, and results orientation are still crucial but need to be implemented differently.
- What do new generations seek in leaders? They prioritize well-being, purpose, and leaders who listen, inspire, and act with empathy.
- How can we adapt to the changing landscape? By building environments where well-being is integral, demanding work is balanced with it, and authority is exercised consistently.
