UYL2009 -- What People Now Expect of Leaders: An Interview with Ron Holifield

The New Mandate for Today's Leaders The Armed Forces War College uses the acronym VUCA to described the world today. That stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Change, and Ambiguity. Ron Holifield, my guest on this episode and the president of Strategic Government Resources, argues that this state of affairs has brought on a new set of expectations for leaders. People, he says, are looking for leaders who communicate a sense of clarity, confidence, and certitude. Unlike workers 40 years ago, who tended to accept what leadership said at face value, today's workers are more skeptical, more likely to question leadership decisions. They want to assure themselves that the leader is trustworthy, competent, and authentic. Authenticity means that the leader has a clear and well-defined set of values and that the leader lives consistently with these values. People, more than perhaps ever before, want leaders to authenticate themselves by walking their talk. According to Ron, a discussion of values is the one topic which creates the greatest resonance in his in his workshops at present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices