Leadership for the 21st Century: Why Relevance Trumps Popularity
The 21st-century workplace is a complex, chaotic organism, vastly different from the hierarchical structures of the past. Traditional, top-down management is no longer fit for purpose. In this new reality, where decentralized teams and diversity intersect, leadership is no longer confined to titles and positions. Instead, it thrives as an infectious force, influencing organizations horizontally, diagonally, and even externally.
I am an International Communication Expert and Executive Performance Coach, and would argue that the future belongs to leaders who prioritise relevance over popularity. In a world marked by rapid change, evolving expectations, and intricate networks of collaboration, staying attuned to the needs of the moment whilst understanding longer term impacts is the hallmark of effective leadership.
The End of the Hierarchy
For decades, leadership has been tied to formal titles and positional authority. Managers were expected to lead, and influence was largely confined to those at the top of the pyramid. However, today’s organizational structures are increasingly decentralized. Teams operate across geographies, time zones, and cultures, with matrix reporting lines replacing clear hierarchies.
This shift has made the traditional model of leadership obsolete. We’re no longer looking up to the top of a pyramid for guidance. Instead, leadership spreads like a ripple, touching everyone in its path. We listen to the closest person around us.
In this environment, the most impactful leaders are not those with the most impressive titles, but those with the greatest ability to influence. These individuals—regardless of their formal roles—are the ones who understand the challenges, speak to the needs of their peers, and create alignment in fragmented settings.
Relevance: The New Leadership Currency
Leadership has become one of the most talked-about topics of the last two decades. Frankly I am getting a bit sick of hearing the word! From the shift toward empowerment and emotional intelligence to the focus on diversity and inclusion, trendy concepts of leadership have gained significant traction. I do acknowledge the value in these ideas but would caution against equating popularity with effective leadership.
The push for emotional intelligence, inclusive practices, and visionary thinking has transformed leadership discourse, but we must not lose sight of the fundamentals. Leadership isn’t just about being liked; it’s about making decisions that serve the bigger picture, even when those decisions are unpopular.
Relevance is about being in the right place, saying the right things, and driving the right outcomes in any given time. People look for immediate impact and lose faith in long term plans – it’s increasingly hard for managers to gain trust. However, popularity is fleeting; relevance endures. At times, this means making swift, decisive choices that may not immediately resonate with everyone but are rooted in a foundation of trust. Trust is the key ingredient that enables leaders to make bold moves, knowing their teams will follow even if they don’t fully understand the reasoning at first.
Consider this: in an environment of constant change, a “popular” leader may cling to outdated approaches or decisions that no longer serve the organization’s best interests. Conversely, a relevant leader continuously adapts, listens deeply, and anticipates shifts before they happen. Relevance requires agility, self-awareness, and an unwavering focus on the bigger picture.
Leadership Beyond Management
My perspective challenges the traditional notion that leadership and management are synonymous. You don’t need to be a manager to be a leader, you need influence, clarity, and the ability to inspire action.
In today’s diverse and complex environments, rethinking traditional management approaches is crucial. Conventional styles often result in silos and disconnection, which no longer serve the needs of modern teams. With knowledge more accessible than ever, managers can quickly feel overwhelmed in a world where expertise alone is no longer the foundation of authority. Decentralized teams thrive not under rigid command-and-control structures but under leaders who can cut through the noise, offer clear direction, and build trust—often without relying on formal managerial titles.
In these settings, leadership becomes more like a shared responsibility, with influence spreading across the organization. This decentralized model allows for greater collaboration, innovation, and resilience. This “infectious leadership” is where positive behaviours, attitudes, and messages spread naturally and empower others to lead in their own right.
The Power of Diverse Influence
One of the greatest challenges facing 21st-century leaders is navigating the chaos that diversity and complexity can create. Teams today are more varied than ever, composed of people with different cultural backgrounds, life experiences, expectations and professional skills. While this diversity is a source of strength, it can also lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and silos.
Embracing this diversity is a catalyst for innovation. Great leaders don’t shy away from the complexity of diverse teams; they dive into it. They create spaces where everyone feels heard, respected, and aligned around a shared purpose.
This requires exceptional communication skills, particularly in decentralized environments. Leaders must build bridges between teams and individuals, breaking down silos and fostering collaboration. My concept of “relevant leadership” hinges on the ability to listen actively, identify unspoken needs, and facilitate conversations that bring people together. Don’t forget that the biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has actually taken place!
Leading in a Digital World
The rise of remote work and digital collaboration tools has further disrupted traditional leadership norms. In this landscape, physical presence no longer equates to influence. Leaders must adapt to leading through screens, managing asynchronous communication, and building trust in virtual settings.
Clarity and authenticity in digital communication are essential. When you lead in a virtual world, every message carries weight. Your words must inspire action and connection, even ---especially!- when you’re not physically in the room.” We must also acknowledge the growing evidence that the large number of collaboration tools is largely harming productivity. There is therefore a huge amount of work needed from Leaders to put in place systems and processes that serve the end-purpose whilst taking care of its people. Recent research shows that we swap apps over 1000 times a day!
Redefining Success
The 21st century has also redefined what success looks like for leaders. Leadership today is about the power to influence others, even when you’re not directly managing them. Success is inherently collective—measured by how well leaders can motivate their teams, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful outcomes together.
It is important to understand the motivational levers within teams. Leaders need to identify their allies and tap into the unique strengths of individuals. It’s about building a sense of shared purpose and ensuring that everyone feels empowered to contribute to the bigger picture.
This shift in focus from individual achievement to collective impact underscores the transformative power of relevance-driven leadership. By leveraging trust and influence, leaders can create environments where success is not just personal but shared across the organization.
Provoking a New Paradigm
The 21st century demands that we rethink what it means to lead. I hope that my vision challenges you to move beyond outdated models of management and embrace leadership as a dynamic, fluid, and inclusive force. I invite you to imagine organizations where leadership is not confined to a select few, but rather a shared, infectious quality that elevates everyone.
Leadership is not about popularity or power. It’s about relevance, resilience, and the ability to adapt. In today’s world, the best leaders are those who make others want to lead too, instead of thinking, 'Oh, I wouldn’t want his or her job!'
As the 21st century unfolds, one thing is clear: leadership is no longer a title—it’s a global movement where many have a say. My call to action is simple: Lead with relevance, influence with authenticity, know your people – and that includes your clients – and make sure you communicate, in the right way.
Audrey Daumain is a leadership communication expert with more than two decade's experience working in finance, oil & gas and luxury industries, advising senior
leaders in global corporations on communication and diplomacy strategies. She is the creator of Smart Perspective™- a proven system that builds a robust work culture fostering peak performance. Her vast management and mediation experience combined with a profoundly human-centric approach reinvigorates businesses by illuminating new ways of engaging in today’s complex workplaces.
