Kirstin Ferguson, Australia's most prominent leadership expert, discusses the concept of modern leadership, the significance of self-awareness, and challenges of remote work in an engaging and informative podcast.
Leadership in the modern era requires a balance between head and heart attributes, incorporating curiosity, empathy, wisdom, and capability.
Leaders should focus on developing the next generation of leaders, creating a culture where everyone can show leadership qualities and prioritizing succession planning.
Deep dives
The Changing Landscape of Leadership
The podcast episode explores how the concept of leadership has evolved in the past years. It emphasizes the shift from traditional leadership models to a more modern approach that incorporates both head and heart. The guest discusses the importance of leaders being open to rethinking old models, being vulnerable, and not having all the answers. The episode highlights the changing expectations of employees and the need for leaders who can incorporate others in decision-making and prioritize people. It also mentions that modern leadership is not limited to a specific generation, as all age groups are demanding more flexibility and purpose-driven leaders.
The Qualities of Modern Leaders
The episode delves into the qualities and attributes of modern leaders. It identifies four key attributes of leading with the head, including curiosity, wisdom, capability, and perspective. These attributes are associated with qualities such as gathering data, making informed decisions, and understanding the environment and the people involved. The episode also highlights the four attributes of leading with the heart, which include humility, self-awareness, empathy, and courage. It emphasizes the importance of leaders embracing both head and heart attributes to succeed in today's world.
Building Leaders and Fostering Leadership
The podcast episode emphasizes the role of leaders in developing the next generation of leaders. It encourages leaders to create a culture where everyone can show leadership qualities, whether formal titles are involved or not. The guest suggests that leaders should view their role as building a 'family tree' of leaders, where they focus on succession and developing people who can surpass them. The episode also highlights the significance of self-awareness and feedback in leadership development. Additionally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities of leadership in remote work settings and encourages leaders to adapt and find new ways to connect and empower their teams.
In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Kirstin Ferguson. She is Australia’s most prominent leadership expert and a highly experienced business leader in her own right. Her upcoming best-seller book: HEAD & HEART: The Art of Modern Leadership is a practical guide for every modern leader. Kirstin explains how leadership is simply a series of moments and therefore, every moment offers us the opportunity to leave a positive impact on those we lead.