The 5 Key Competencies Leaders Need in the Post-COVID Era

Introduction

Having been a trainer in leadership for the last 20 years, a visiting faculty in leadership-related behavior at organizations like the IIM and ISB, having consulted and coached in over 20 countries across Asia and Africa, and heading my own organization with a business degree from IIM Calcutta, I believe I have a clear perspective on what leaders need today.

The post-COVID era, often referred to as the VUCA era (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), demands that organizations develop both left-brain and right-brain leaders. Such leaders must be capable of managing uncertainty and leading organizations through constant change.

Let’s look at the 5 key competencies leaders need to build.

1. Motivate Others and Build High-Performing Teams

• A 2014 Harvard Business Review article on leadership competencies by Zenger and Folkman surveyed 332,860 senior leaders, peers, and subordinates
• The #1 competency identified was “Motivating Others.”
• Today, this is more critical than ever. Leaders must inspire and enable teams to perform beyond expectations.
• As management trainer Brian Tracy puts it: “The ability to get extraordinary results from ordinary people.”

2.Analytical Skills

• Balancing soft skills with data-driven decision-making is essential in today’s business world.
• Leaders must:
• Look at data critically.
• Discern patterns.
• Make structured, evidence-based decisions.
• In a VUCA world, relying only on intuition can be costly. Analytics helps leaders sense the future and avoid mistakes rooted in the past.

3.Emotional Intelligence (EI)

• Multiple studies have shown that EI is more important than IQ for leadership success.
• In recent years, teams have faced high stress and emotional challenges.
• Leaders need to build:
• Emotional resilience.
• Empathy.
• Self-awareness and relationship management skills.
• Strong emotional intelligence helps leaders guide teams with compassion and stability.(Emotional Intelligence Specialist)

4.Digital Intelligence & Technology Skills

• Leaders today must be digitally intelligent and understand the technologies shaping business.
• From HR to Marketing, automation and machine intelligence are now essential.
• Key aspects include:
• Awareness of digital transformation.
• Ability to leverage data and tools for growth.
• Using technology to drive efficiency and innovation.

5.Innovation & Design Thinking

• In a VUCA world, change is the only constant.
• Leaders must embrace innovation as a continuous process.
• Design Thinking skills are vital for:
• Creative problem-solving.
• Adapting to uncertainty.
• Driving organizational transformation.