The future is made in the present. What we do today shapes the course for our people, leaders, and organisations. In reflecting on the current landscape of work—particularly in leadership and talent development—there’s opportunity for more. We must move beyond broken basics to contemporary methods that reflect what we now know about supporting people and achieving organisational goals.
High-performance leadership that’s essential now and in the future goes beyond technical skills—it demands resilient mindsets and approaches that prioritise complexity and change. Let’s take a look at five strategies to develop these future leaders:
- Mindset Upgrade: Bigger Mindset, Bigger Impact
Just as children go through phases of growth—from talking and walking to developing independence—adult leaders need to continue evolving. Today’s leaders need a mindset upgrade, moving beyond acquiring skills to developing new ways of thinking. This shift, known as vertical development, enables leaders to tackle bigger challenges and make decisions with a long-term focus. Unlike horizontal growth, which builds knowledge and skills, vertical development encourages leaders to explore new perspectives and embrace ambiguity.
Encouraging leaders to engage in “heat experiences” helps them step outside their comfort zones, where they can better manage complexity and ambiguity. Research indicates that leaders who challenge themselves with stretch assignments demonstrate up to 29% more adaptability, essential for high performance in uncertain environments.
- Connect with People’s Needs, Not Norms
With one in five people identifying as neurodivergent, organisations risk missing out on valuable strengths like creative thinking, unique perspectives, and tolerance of complexity and crisis. Developing future leaders means nurturing neurodivergent talent through practices that truly meet diverse needs. It also means creating leaders who can effectively support and collaborate with neurodivergent people, fostering conditions that bring out everyone’s best.
Inclusion is core to building innovative, resilient teams. Neurodivergent leaders offer valuable perspectives that challenge norms and drive creative solutions. Deloitte reports that inclusive teams are 30% more productive, reinforcing the value of neurodiversity-friendly practices.
Building inclusivity into the entire HR lifecycle—recruitment, training, and development—ensures everyone can contribute their best, benefiting both teams and the organisation.
- Create Energising Development Plans
An effective development plan goes beyond ticking boxes; it aligns a leader’s growth with their personal values and organisational goals, creating an energising path forward. Begin by connecting the plan to core values—these are the compass points that fuel motivation and direction. Include “love-to” and “want-to” goals alongside “have-to” objectives to enhance commitment and bring genuine enthusiasm to each step. A strong plan also considers the organisation’s needs, asking, “What does our strategy require of me?”
When leaders integrate values, strengths, and targeted experiences, they don’t just grow; they thrive in ways that meet both personal aspirations and organisational goals, setting the stage for impactful, sustained leadership.
- Build Decision-Making Agility
Leaders must have muscle memory to be agile in mind and agile in nature. Agility isn’t just a goal- it’s a necessary quality for today’s pace of change. Leaders must embrace fast learning with more speed and less waste.
This approach prioritises experimentation, allowing leaders to gather feedback, pivot quickly, and refine their path without getting stuck on perfection.
Incorporating agility into the way work is done, we encourage a “minimum viable product” mindset, where leaders act on early ideas and adapt based on real-world results. Leaders with an agile mindset are better equipped to navigate uncertainty, enabling teams to perform at their best in a constantly changing landscape.
- Promote Active Reflective Practice
Experience shapes us. But actively reflecting on that experience supercharges our growth. Reflection enables leaders to examine their actions, refine their thinking, and make better decisions. By regularly pausing to ask, “What was challenging? What did I learn? What would I do differently?” leaders turn experiences into actionable learning.
Encourage leaders to keep a log of evolving insights, transforming reflection into an ongoing practice. Leaders who engage in purposeful reflection grow not only in knowledge but also in resilience and clarity. This reflective habit builds adaptability and fosters leaders who can confidently guide their teams through both challenges and change.
By pressing the pedals of performance, growth, and wellbeing, these strategies equip leaders to make work work—for them, their teams, and their organisations.
Louise Gilbert is author of Make Work Work for You
