Leading in the age of digital transformation
Today we work in a changing environment: constant innovation, digitalisation and teams spread across the globe. This forces us to rethink what it means to lead, and it is not the same as it was 7 or 8 years ago.
It is no longer just about managing resources, data, KPIs or setting objectives. For me, leadership is about knowing how to listen to everyone, connecting with everyone and giving meaning to collective work.
When a team feels that it communicates with transparency and empathy, it becomes stronger, more creative and much more capable of adapting to the changes demanded by the market, and that also means trusting the team.
Communication builds trust
When you communicate, you don’t just do it with words. You also do it with the way you listen, with your tone of voice, with the way you are present. We often realise that people are not listening and are preoccupied with their own things… but that is not the way to go. You have to:
- Non-verbal language: sometimes a gesture conveys more than a speech.
- Clarity: being direct, without beating around the bush, is what builds trust.
- Really listen: understand what the team is concerned about before responding.
In changing environments and when there are thousands of projects with day-to-day changes, trust is not optional. It is what allows teams to move forward together, even when there is uncertainty.
Transparency: a value that unites
Transparency is not just an ethical issue, as many believe, it is also a competitive advantage. In digital and global projects, with diverse teams spread across different countries, communicating clearly prevents rumours and strengthens relationships. Everyone feels that they are part of the same purpose and everyone has the same goal.
A very clear example is what happens in change processes: when the reasons behind decisions are explained, even if they are not easy, people understand them better and are much more committed, even if they are difficult decisions to follow.
Leaders who leave their mark
I always think about those leaders who have left their mark on me. I remember not only those who succeeded, but also those who made me feel different with their words. I have always been more impressed by that way of sharing a vision, of giving encouragement in difficult moments or of conveying calm in a crisis; it was as important as the decisions they made.
We also see this in our daily lives: managers or leaders who know how to communicate ensure that a team not only works, but believes in what it does.
Digital communication: a new challenge
Today, we don’t just lead in a meeting room: we also lead in a video call, in an email or in a team chat. And from my point of view, this is where the real challenge lies: continuing to be human through a screen.
Because digital communication is not about tools, it is about people. It is about looking at the camera so that the other person feels that you are listening to them, about writing a clear message when a gesture would suffice in person, about sending a ‘good job’ at the right moment.
The keys, in my opinion, are:
- Empathy: this is difficult, but you have to be present, even if you are miles apart.
- Clarity: a poorly written email that does not focus on solutions can cause a lot of noise. Simplicity saves misunderstandings.
- Consistency: what you say face to face must match what you write, and this is critical.
Leading in a hybrid environment with many people teleworking and others working on-site also means managing everyone’s attention. It is not about being connected to everything and everyone at once, but rather choosing when to speak, when to listen and when to give space. And for that, you have to reach agreements with the team.
Leadership without communication is just management; communication without leadership is just pretty words. When these two points come together, what truly inspires emerges: the ability to move people and leave a mark on an organisation.
In a world where technology changes every day at a speed that cannot be
