As we approach 2025, leadership skills are more important than ever. Leaders must be equipped with the right skills to address current challenges while preparing for future uncertainties. Navigating a divided, dispersed, and often uncertain environment may even require a new leadership approach.

We sat down with Chief Potential Officer and leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry during a recent webinar as he explored five essential competencies that all leaders need to succeed in the coming years. The answer is – they need PEACE:

• Personal proficiency
• Expectation clarity
• Accountable mindset
• Comfort with tension
• Experiential focus

Effective leadership demands the ability to flex between different styles, balancing confidence with humility, and making informed decisions that benefit both the team and the organization. Understanding the situation and adapting accordingly is the key to successful leadership.

So, let’s dive into each competency!

Personal Proficiency

When you think of personal proficiency, a few things may come to mind – self-awareness, adaptability, emotional intelligence, drive, commitment to personal growth, and probably many others! Because of these things, personally proficient leaders are better equipped to handle the complexities of their roles while inspiring their teams to achieve higher performance levels.

Leaders have a lot on their plate, but even with all the responsibilities, busy schedules, and competing priorities, it’s important for them to commit to personal development and enhancing their skills. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, organizations can ensure their leaders are always prepared to meet new challenges head-on.

Expectation Clarity

Clear expectations are essential for defining success and reducing uncertainty within an organization. To have this clarity, it’s important to go beyond outlining responsibilities in a job description. It may include setting monthly goals, communicating deadlines, establishing clear communication channels, or providing written protocols.

When leaders and team members understand what is expected of them, they can focus their efforts more effectively and achieve better results. This clarity fosters trust between leaders and their teams by eliminating ambiguity and ensuring everyone is on the same page. Organizations must prioritize clear communication of expectations to enhance productivity and engagement at all levels.

Accountable Mindset

The third competency Kevin discuss is having an accountable mindset, which is crucial for leaders aiming to drive their organizations forward. It’s important for leaders to embrace responsibility and take ownership of their actions and the outcomes, regardless of control.

But what does an accountable mindset look like? It can look like being proactive, sharing goals, openly communicating about issues, setting and sticking to deadlines, admitting mistakes, asking for feedback and implementing those suggestions, and always remaining transparent.

By modeling accountability, leaders can create a more productive and problem-solving-oriented work environment. A culture of accountability within the organization can encourage team members to take ownership of their roles, contributing to the organization’s overall success.

Comfort with Tension

This may be one of the most challenging competencies for leaders to develop. In today’s complex and often polarized world, leaders must navigate conflicting ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind and apply each when necessary. For example, a leader must balance confidence with humility, understanding that both qualities are essential for effective leadership. By developing comfort with tension, leaders can make more nuanced and informed decisions, leading to better outcomes for their organizations.

Experiential Focus

Lastly, Kevin talked about experiential focus. This competency involves leveraging past experiences to inform future decisions and actions. Leaders must draw on their experiences, both successes and failures, to guide their teams through new challenges. An experiential focus also means being open to new experiences and learning opportunities, continuously seeking ways to improve and innovate. By fostering a culture of experiential learning, organizations can ensure their leaders are always evolving and adapting to the changing business landscape.

It’s clear; leaders need PEACE

To succeed in the business landscape of 2025 and beyond, leaders must develop competencies like personal proficiency, expectation clarity, accountability, comfort with tension, and an experiential focus. These skills enable leaders to navigate complex environments and drive organizational success. Prioritizing the development of these competencies within leadership teams is crucial for creating a resilient, adaptable, and high-performing workforce. As work continues to evolve, the ability to adapt leadership styles to various contexts will be key to long-term success. Investing in these areas will position organizations to thrive amidst ongoing changes and challenges.

To learn more about these core competencies from Kevin Eikenberry, be sure to check out his webinar. You can also learn from Kevin in his course, From Bud to Boss, available in the BizLibrary Content Library.