THE HIGHER LENS : 15

Leadership: considering the changing concept of effective leadership

With 13 years of experience running my own leadership and organisational development consultancy, and having partnered with a wide range of public and private sector organisations, I have developed a deep understanding of a leadership approach that cultivates productive, successful environments where both organisations and their people can truly thrive.

In Western society, we view the most effective leaders as those who foster innovation, inclusivity, and resilience in rapidly changing environments. They are expected to lead by example and create cultures of trust and collaboration rather than fear and obedience. In an age of globalisation and connectivity, leadership effectiveness is less about control and more about influence, empathy, and the ability to navigate complexity with vision and integrity. Those leaders who empower staff through autonomy and trust create self-motivated workforces where staff are driven by a genuine sense of purpose. A collaborative and supportive model of leadership rooted in transparency and overtly stated and referenced values at its heart creates a workforce who feel respected and trusted and are therefore more productive and fulfilled.

Leaders who have well developed emotional intelligence are skilled at understanding and managing their own emotions while also empathising with the feelings and perspectives of their staff. I hold onto the view that Emotional Intelligence plays a crucial role in shaping an effective leadership culture by influencing how all staff within an organisation connect, communicate, and respond to others. When I work with great organisations, I see they have a collective depth of emotional intelligence, they create opportunity for reflection and thus enhance greater self and organisational awareness. There is a strong sense of an individual’s ability to influence and shape culture wherever they sit within the organisation. I subscribe to the view that when leaders overtly and consistently demonstrate a high degree of emotional intelligence through empathy, self-control, and social awareness, they create psychologically safe environments that encourage collaboration, creativity, and honest feedback.

Further, emotionally intelligent leaders handle conflict with sensitivity and fairness, strengthening relationships and team morale. Over time, this approach builds a positive organisational culture rooted in mutual understanding, resilience, and shared purpose-qualities that have been considered essential for long-term success and adaptability in an ever-changing world.
I recognise though that this view of effective leadership is a relatively modern concept. In ancient and medieval times, leadership was often equated with power, authority, and military strength. Effective leaders were those who could command loyalty through fear or charisma, conquer territories, and maintain order through rigid hierarchies. Kings, emperors, and warlords derived their legitimacy from divine right or sheer dominance, and success was measured by conquest, wealth, and stability. Leadership during these eras was largely top-down, with little emphasis on collaboration or empathy. During the industrial era, a more transactional style emerged, focused on efficiency, structure, and reward-based systems to drive productivity. As societies became more democratic and knowledge-based, leadership shifted toward transformational and participative styles, where vision, motivation, and collaboration became central. In recent decades, the rise of globalisation and digital communication has given way to adaptive and servant leadership, emphasizing empathy, inclusivity, and the empowerment of others.

These shifts show that our view on leadership is not fixed but continuously reshaped by the cultural, economic, and social forces of an era. As we are currently in a period where those forces are in significant turmoil, is it unrealistic to expect that our notion of strong leadership would not change accordingly? After all, different times require different leaders.

Recently, the world view of leadership has most notably been influenced by the rise and presidency of Donald Trump, sparking a global re-examination of what makes a leader effective or legitimate. Trump’s unconventional communication style, reliance on social media, and populist rhetoric challenged long-standing expectations of political decorum and diplomacy. He appears to display little empathy for those who hold established norms dear, demonstrates no desire for self-reflection, and has no patience for protracted negotiations. His communication style is direct, he trusts in his own view, is never afraid to disrupt, has an unwavering belief in his own abilities, has no sentiment for history, and fights for his own. For some, this assertiveness and overriding confidence represents a refreshing break from traditional politics, emphasizing strength, nationalism, and directness.

Trump’s persona means assertiveness, ‘top down’ leadership and a tangible disregard for the components of emotional intelligence has already begun to shape a new leadership model. His distinct style has led many around the world to question whether leadership should be defined by charisma and disruption rather than empathy and collaboration. We are already able to identify those business and political leaders that have adopted elements of his approach, emphasising personal branding, strong authority, and a results-driven mindset that prioritises visibility and disruption over tradition. This has encouraged some organisations to become more outspoken, competitive, and media-focused, valuing confidence and decisiveness as key leadership traits.

The impact on staff morale, working relationships and individual’s intrinsic motivation, whilst not yet widely measured, will be key to how people view and engage with work in the future should this style of leadership dominate.
We know that we are in uncertain times internationally; geopolitical conflicts, growing inequality, and a shifting of power. Do we need leaders with different qualities to enable us to navigate this new world order? Should we accept that preconceived notions of what effective leadership looks like is outdated? As global instability challenges established norms, the evolution of leadership styles appears inevitable. Whilst a shift toward more authoritative, directive leadership may seem like an appropriate response to uncertainty, it carries significant risks for organisational culture and employee wellbeing.

True progress will depend on leaders finding balance-combining decisiveness and clarity with empathy, moral integrity, and emotional intelligence. Only by doing so can organisations remain resilient, inclusive and adaptive in an increasingly complex and unpredictable world.

Fiona Butt - Leadership and Organisational Development Consultant