December, 20208 IN MYV EWWHY 21ST CENTURY LEADERS NEED EMPATHY AND INTEGRITY TO LEAD SUCCESSFULLYBY JULIE LEE, DIRECTOR, PWC AUSTRALIAAs we embark on the Fourth Industrial Revolution with traditional industries undergoing digital disruption, many organisations are adopting agile ways of working in a bid to remain competitive, adaptive and relevant. With these changes, we're seeing a shift in what employees expect from their leaders, namely a high level of emotional intelligence and a vision for the organisation that they respect and want to follow. As recruiting and retaining top talent becomes increasingly important to a company's success, leaders and organisations that fail to adapt will find it hard to remain successful over the long term. "Authoritarian, ego-driven command-and-control leadership no longer works. The 21st century needs leaders who act based on ethics, altruism, empathy, sustainability and collaboration." The Egoless LeaderFifty years ago, Peter Drucker famously coined the term `knowledge worker' in his 1969 book, `The Age of Discontinuity'. Drucker's definition of a knowledge worker, predominantly one with formal tertiary training, is their ability to apply theoretical and analytical knowledge to solve a problem, or more simply stated, one whose value is determined by applying their mind, rather than their muscles through physical labour. In more recent times, the definition and expectation of a knowledge worker has expanded where applying one's mind alone isn't enough, but rather how adaptable is the employee when faced with uncertainty and constant change. Employers are looking for passionate and innovative employees with a growth mindset and hunger for continuous learning. And in return, employees, especially millennials, are more aware and actively seeking employment with organisations that are purpose-led, contributing towards a positive social impact in society and have leaders that are self-aware and empathetic.In 2016, millennials made up the largest segment of US workers, and by 2030, they are expected to make up more than 75% of the workforce. With the current adoption of agile ways of working and the change in generational employment expectations, leaders are tackling not just the technological changes required to transform their business, but also the cultural shift required to remain sustainable, relevant and successful. Why empathy is importantAgile ways of working and design thinking share many common values. At their core, both frameworks centre Julie Lee
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