Diversified Search: What Are the Biggest Issues for Today’s Leaders?

Diversified Search asked prominent leaders in various industries to provide their understanding of leadership. They asked leaders the following questions:

• What are key areas of focus on the agenda for contemporary leaders?
• What skills or qualities are increasingly important for leaders to successfully address these priority areas?

The following is a response from Rebecca Rimel, President & CEO of Pew Charitable Trusts: “A contemporary leader must focus on building a strong foundation of trust, integrity, and the courage to follow the strength of their convictions, while putting the interest of others ahead of self. In our current culture of self-promotion, it is easy to overlook the critical importance of humility, a tremendous asset in anyone, but especially so in a leader. Effective leaders must also adapt to uncertainty, and be both flexible and comfortable with the challenges and opportunities that come with it. Contemporary leaders should be willing to “speak truth to power” and demonstrate an ability to adapt to evolving circumstances based on new facts and information in a rapidly changing environment. An understanding of the art and beauty of compromise is another highly valuable attribute—a leader should be able to foster a spirit of cooperation and respect, and place collective benefit and shared purpose ahead of personal preferences or agendas. Ultimately, leadership is not about self, but about stewardship: the care and cultivation of resources that best serve one’s institutional mission and the public good.”

The full article is published on Diversified Search’s website. Read the full article.