Learning to Ask
Peter Drucker defined the crucial difference between the traditional leaders of yesterday’s organizations and the leaders of the future when said, “The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask.”1
The traditional hierarchical model of leadership will not work effectively for major organizations in tomorrow’s changing world. The organization of the future is based on the “team approach,” in which shared leadership, building alliances, and empow- ering people are essential to the success of the company. A leader will no longer be the sole decision maker. In the future, and in many companies right now, before global goals and objectives are fully adopted and incorporated into both short-term and long- term projects, the global leader will get input and buy-in from all levels. This process takes time, but it is time well spent and should be treated as a priority.