The leadership we need for the future we want

To create system change that will last, we need a different kind of leadership. The good news is that this kind of leadership already exists in people and places we often overlook. 

At Big Change we have always agitated and advocated for us all to work together to foster a new approach to leadership by giving our young people the tools they need to succeed in the future.  Tools that are currently lacking in our current education systems. This call to action makes me so proud.

Our new report – Leadership for a Thriving Future – has done a great job of explaining why we need a different approach to leadership, what kind of leaders we need, and how leadership best shows up. We worked with eight brilliant partners and more than 30 leaders in the Big Change community to develop the report and ensure we practice what we preach by including a variety of different voices. 

The report explores four key dimensions of leadership: purpose, agency, relationships and growth. For anyone struggling to foster the leadership we need for the future, this report is a fantastic place to start. Here are some of my key take aways from the report:

• The best leaders are agents of change. They don’t hoard power. They create conditions where everyone can reach their potential and contribute to a collective purpose. As the report stated: “Agency is not given: it is reclaimed, cultivated, and unlocked. It exists in everyone but is often hidden by structures and systems designed to manage and contain, rather than recognise and strengthen.” Great leaders dismantle these structures, instead of building them higher. As Big Change’s CEO, Essie North, put it:

“Big change happens when we work together and, instead of holding on to or hoarding power, leaders of systemic social change share power, and enable the people they work with step into theirs. Making things happen without using dominance or control. This type of leadership prioritises mobilising over waiting, connection over control, and courage over comfort.” 

• Leaders need to understand themselves to understand others. As the report states: “How we relate to others mirrors how we relate to ourselves. So, growing strong relationships starts with self-awareness. Leaders need to examine their own beliefs, assumptions, fears, and biases in order to build authentic connections with others.” An effective leader will prioritise relationships over progress and transactions. They also understand that relationship skills require regular upkeep. Finally, an impactful leader accepts that the most productive relationships sometimes require tension. It might seem strange, but complete harmony and agreement often signals a power imbalance. Leaders must make space for difference, tension, and complexity – always! 

• A good leader is constantly learning and growing. If you think you’ve got it all figured out, you need to think again. Growth is rarely a straight path. Growing as a leader requires constant questioning, trying new things, adjusting course, and remaining curious about everything. It happens when leaders step into discomfort, understand their blind spots, and have the courage to move through uncertainty. As Lee Sears, from BTS Sparks contributed to the report:

“Growth is about letting go of what you think you know… leadership requires rigorous experimentation.” 

Big Change

Thank you to everyone who contributed to such an insightful and timely report. The undercurrent that ran through the report (and everything we do at Big Change) is the need to empower more diverse voices.   

It's so important to collaborate with communities and partners and especially young people. It’s only by backing young people and their ideas that we can pave the way for a better future. We've got to listen, we've got to be curious, we've got to be brave, we've got to be open minded. 

Read and share the report here.