Future Trends in Leadership Development Practices and the Crucial Leadership Skills

Abstract

Leadership, in today's rapidly changing and unstable business environment, becomes critically important. However, leadership development practices have not proven adequate to meet the challenges of the new era. The present cross-cultural research aims to examine the crucial leadership skills for the 21st-century leaders, especially in times of crisis, and identify similarities and differences between five European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Cyprus) and the U.S. In addition, the role of a leader in the 21st century and the leadership development methods needed for future leaders were investigated. The sample consisted of 65 leadership experts. The results revealed some similarities, but, also, specific differences between the five European countries and the U.S. in the essential leadership skills and the ones needed in times of crisis. A gap was also identified between the required and the observed leadership skills in the workplace in both European countries, and the U.S., implying the need for a paradigm shift in leadership development methods to prepare future leaders capable of navigating in an uncertain and complex world.