Having leaned into more AI recently and beginning to understand how it is going to shape my own practice, I thought it may be worth some time to consider what all of this might mean for those of us in leadership or management positions. It’s definitely not a ‘look what’s coming’ scenario, as we already transitioning to something.
Adaption to an ever changing landscape seems to be a core requirement these days. Knowing a few people that struggle with change, this could get even more challenging. I do think it’s fair to say that in the middle of all of this change, one thing remains constant: people are still at the heart of every successful organisation, and will be for a while yet.
So, the real challenge may not be just to understand the new technologies, but to develop leaders who can navigate these constant shifts while keeping people engaged, connected, and growing. Future-facing leadership is not about predicting every disruption (we have algorithms for that), but more so about preparing leaders who can embrace uncertainty, harness new technology responsibly, and lead people as opposed to manage them.
Why Future-Facing Leadership Matters?
Leadership has always been about taking things forward. You start a new position and you have a vision for where you are going to take it. This won’t change. What makes the current moment different is the speed and scale of disruption.
The AI element seems obvious, but if we come back to people. I can’t claim to fully understand the younger generation as I’m not one of them, but I can see evidence that employees are rethinking what they want from work. They expect flexibility, purpose, and a sense of development. Not always available and often suffered in the past.
If you throw Customers into the mix, and we are probably all one of these in some shape or form. We are demanding more personalisation, faster service, and deeper trust.
This leaves those leading trying to balance human needs with technological potential and so future-facing leadership matters because it is the bridge between these worlds. Without leaders who can integrate the technical and the human, organisations risk creating, dare I say it, workplaces that are efficient but soulless and innovative but disconnected.
What Changes and What Stays the Same?
It’s obvious that AI is already transforming work. But while many things will change, some fundamentals of leadership, I believe, will always remain. It helps to consider what this may look like. Only my opinion, and certainly not a definitive list:
What changes:
- Routine tasks like reporting, forecasting, and scheduling will be automated.
- Leaders will need to understand data and AI ethics — not to become tech experts, but to ask smart questions.
- Roles will shift more often, and leaders must help people reskill and adapt.
What stays the same:
- People will still follow leaders they trust, not systems or algorithms.
- Integrity, clarity, and a sense of purpose will remain essential.
- The human need for connection, recognition, and meaning won’t go away.
‘Human Leadership’ provides advantage
If AI makes us faster and smarter, then the differentiator becomes what only humans can do. Here are 4 capabilities that seem obvious to me, based on where we are at right now and considering where it appears we are going:
- Empathy – This is about going beyond performance metrics to understand what people need, feel, and aspire to.
- Adaptability – Be willing to evolve your leadership style, identity and approach as technology and context shift.
- Ethical Courage – Make more balanced decisions, e.g. choices not only for efficiency or profit, but for values such as fairness, sustainability, and humanity.
- Vision – Paint a picture of the future that gives meaning to change and inspires confidence in the journey.
I’ve worked with leaders who exhibit these capabilities day in day out, but I’ve also worked with a high number that have gaps when considering this list.
What could this mean for Leadership Development?
If all of this is moving then surely leadership development in its current paradigm needs to go with it. A lot of the old models, of which there are many, may need a bit of a rethink. There will be new ones, I’m sure and it will all need some navigating and understanding of how best to apply.
Future-facing leaders will most likely be judged less on what they know and more on how they think, how they adapt, and how they bring out the best in others. Maybe how they should be viewed now but not always the case.
That means development programmes will need to align to this.
This may be a biased opinion but I believe that coaching will have a huge part to play in this given its ability to get at all of these. It is the best approach that I know that can leverage new thinking and bring about adaptability. It is also people centric, although AI coaches are out there and probably form part of the picture (another article for another day on that one).
What can Leaders Practice ‘Now’?
The best preparation for the future is to identify and then begin practicing new habits. That way you are already moving and not standing still. Here’s 3 things I think might be useful, if you’re not practicing already:
- Ask Better Questions – Get used to asking deeper questions to unlock greater understanding, create better connections and support better decisions
- Experiment in Small Steps – Treat your leadership like innovation: pilot, learn, adapt, and scale up what works.
- Strengthen Human Connections – Build trust, create psychological safety, and prioritise relationships. Get good at the people stuff.
Future-Facing is People-Facing isn’t it
It is tempting, in conversations about AI and technology, to become fixated on tools, platforms, and algorithms. Lots of it is exciting and it draws you in to an extent. It is important though, IMO, to still see a future where leadership is still a human one. AI will shape the mechanics of work, but it is leaders who will shape its meaning.
A handful of questions to keep you thinking on this one:
How am I developing my own mindset to stay curious, adaptable, and resilient in the face of constant change?
In what ways am I enabling others to thrive, not just managing performance, but unlocking creativity and confidence?
When AI takes care of the processes, what distinctly human leadership qualities will I bring that truly make the difference?