THE LEADER OF THE FUTURE

Abstract The author is an executive coach, and the only two‐time Thinkers50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World. Reflecting on the changes of the past 30 years, he writes that “in a more stable world, leaders were rewarded for knowing, planning, and controlling. Today, those same strengths can become limitations. The future demands a different set of capabilities ‐ learning, adapting, and thinking in new ways.” He further describes “three critical shifts that will impact the leader of the future: from knowing to learning, from thinking only with humans to thinking with AI, and from long‐term strategy to continuous reinvention.” Each of these shifts includes a challenge and suggestions. For instance, within thinking with AI: “Treat AI as a thinking partner, not just an assistant. Ask it to reflect, synthesize, and challenge ‐ not just produce. Share your ideas and ask for patterns, themes, and alternative viewpoints.”

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Leader to Leader
Published
2026-07-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ltl.70071
Primary Topic
Educational Leadership and Innovation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

THE LEADER OF THE FUTURE

Marshall Goldsmith
Leader to Leader
Educational Leadership and Innovation
article

THE LEADER OF THE FUTURE

Marshall Goldsmith
article en

Abstract

Abstract The author is an executive coach, and the only two‐time Thinkers50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World. Reflecting on the changes of the past 30 years, he writes that “in a more stable world, leaders were rewarded for knowing, planning, and controlling. Today, those same strengths can become limitations. The future demands a different set of capabilities ‐ learning, adapting, and thinking in new ways.” He further describes “three critical shifts that will impact the leader of the future: from knowing to learning, from thinking only with humans to thinking with AI, and from long‐term strategy to continuous reinvention.” Each of these shifts includes a challenge and suggestions. For instance, within thinking with AI: “Treat AI as a thinking partner, not just an assistant. Ask it to reflect, synthesize, and challenge ‐ not just produce. Share your ideas and ask for patterns, themes, and alternative viewpoints.”

Leader to Leader
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Educational Leadership and Innovation
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THE LEADER OF THE FUTURE — Marshall Goldsmith · Leader to Leader (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS