By Linda Fisher Thornton
Learning At 2,400 Tweets Per Hour
I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to co-host the live #LeadWithGiants Tweetchat with @DanVForbes on January 19, 2015. The topic was “The Future of Leadership,” and the live chat trended on Twitter at about 2,400 Tweets per hour.
Many thanks to the #LeadWithGiants community members who participated in the discussion. Please note that I considered quoting individual Tweets, but there were so many good ones that I couldn’t narrow down which ones to feature! A link to the Tweetchat recap is provided below. Feel free to comment with more of your favorite insights from the conversation.
During the Tweetchat, inspiring global voices weighed in on big questions, including these:
- What will the future of leadership be like?
- What is the best case scenario for the future of leadership?
- How will we individually and collectively reach that best case scenario?
Envisioning Leadership Future
Here are some of the predictive insights shared during the discussion:
1. The future of leadership is globally collaborative and inclusive – communication, relationships and trust will be crucial.
2. Inspiring others through our leadership will not be about our words, it will be about our actions.
3. We will need to continually learn, stretch beyond our comfort zones, tackle complexity and adapt to rapid global change.
4. We will need to carefully balance our use of technology with maintaining human connections.
5. We must dig deeper and aim higher, taking daily steps to become the leader needed in a globally connected society.
6. We can take actions every day, no matter how small, to add value to the lives and work of others.
7. We must stand up for what is right, even when that perspective is unpopular.
8. Old rules will not apply and old mindsets will have to go.
9. We will need to deeply engage others in working toward shared goals, and develop them to be ready for future roles.
10. It will help to align ourselves with others who share this journey and provide positive support.
11. Without self-awareness, we will not succeed…
A Best Case Scenario
I believe that this is a possible best case scenario for the future of leadership:
When we say “leadership,” that term will include ethical responsibilities along with opportunities and benefits. “Leading” will be a positive term that will imply leading in the way that we want others to go, leading ethically, and leading in the way that creates a better future. With a clear picture of what responsible leadership looks like, unethical leadership will not be tolerated and will be less common.
People who aspire to lead others will be drawn to the role by the opportunity to bring out the best in others (individually and collectively).
Let’s actively create this best case scenario for the future of leadership through the choices we make today.
About the Tweetchat
A recap of “The Future of Leadership” #LeadWithGiants chat is here. Dan V. Forbes hosts #LeadWithGiants Mondays, 7 pm ET.
My Journey: On April 1, 2010, I said the words ” I will never go on Twitter.” Later that same day, I started Tweeting. Read the story in my post “Leaders and Social Media: 5 Reasons to Engage.”
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There are a number of common threads here including thinking and acting global, not standing still, team culture and journeys. Great food for thought. Thanks
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Dan, it was a pleasure to be a part of such a vibrant discussion about the kind of leadership we need. Many thanks.
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As someone who has been in a leadership role for over 50 years, here are my
“Ten Lessons Learned in a 50-Year Career.” http://www.leadsandserves.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-lessons-.learned-in-50-year career.html
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Thanks for cohosting the #LeadWithGiants Tweetchat with me. It was a great learning experience.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this post Joe, and for being part of the movement toward the possible best case scenario!
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The future of leadership looks bright and challenging! I particularly like the best case scenario description. I agree with your vision but am challenged by the words, “not be tolerated” as I see a steady and rapid decline in accountability – a necessity, across our nation. I look forward to participating as an accountable and ethical leader into the future!
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