Exploring leadership in times of paradox and complexity

Purpose – Increasingly, organizations are faced with complex challenges stemming from integrating societal change into business. These challenges create new demands for leadership. The paper aims at more clearly identifying these leadership demands and possible courses of development. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an exploratory, multi‐method program of research at the Center for Creative Leadership, this paper reports on cross‐national data from 157 practicing managers to uncover the patterns that exist between the societal context, organizations, and the changing nature of leadership. Specifically, the paper addresses the following questions: What skills do individual leaders need to be successful in the future? How is leadership at the organizational level different today, and what will it look like in the future? Are there differences between the US and non‐US populations in their view of organizational leadership? What is the current capacity of organizations to accomplish leadership? Findings – Results demonstrate a shift in the practice of leadership from more traditional, individual approaches to more innovative, collaborative approaches. Further, the comparison of non‐US with US data shows that non‐US populations expect more innovative leadership approaches/philosophies in the future. Research limitations/implications – The implications for research are discussed in terms of expanding the definition of leadership, while implications for practice are framed within the context of emerging approaches to leadership development. Originality/value – This paper will be of value to those practicing leaders, researchers, and development specialists who are interested in exploring the frontiers of leadership in times of paradox and complexity.