Newsroom

February 12, 2024

Career path fork: Individual leadership or people leadership?

The concept of leadership often takes center stage in professional development, yet its multifaceted nature is frequently overlooked. Diving deeper into this topic, experts delineate two distinct categories of leadership: people leadership and individual leadership. The divergence between these roles lies in their respective scopes and focal points of leadership responsibilities. Individual leadership primarily revolves around self-leadership, encompassing personal growth, self-motivation, and managing individual tasks and obligations. Conversely, people’s leadership is commonly associated with team management and entails guiding collective efforts towards shared objectives.

Bhavesh Goswami, Founder and CEO of CloudThat, underscores the significance of leadership style in driving organizational success, citing data-backed evidence. He highlights that 80% of executives have identified leadership as a top-priority concern, underlining its pivotal role in overall organizational performance. Furthermore, referencing a McKinsey report, Goswami notes that organizations with diverse leadership teams exhibit a 33% higher likelihood of outperforming their peers in terms of profitability. He emphasizes the delicate balance required, where organizations must value both the collective harmony fostered by people leaders and the innovative spirit and depth of knowledge individual leaders bring. Goswami characterizes this dynamic as an interplay between order and chaos, asserting that success hinges on recognizing and leveraging the unique strengths offered by each leadership style. 

While senior positions often necessitate extensive people management responsibilities, there’s a notable shift occurring wherein subject matter expertise garners increased significance. This transition underscores the importance of adeptly balancing technical proficiency with interpersonal skills for effective leadership within complex organizational structures.The pivotal role of humane qualities in effective people leadership. Beyond the conventional metrics of success, genuine leadership is characterized by an ability to foster collective growth while mitigating burnout among team members.The evolving definition of leadership to encompass a broader spectrum of contributors beyond traditional C-suite executives.  

Ultimately, the evolving landscape of leadership demands a multifaceted approach, where leaders adeptly navigate the intricacies of individual and people leadership, bridging the gap between technical expertise and empathetic team management for sustained organizational growth and success. 

Read more on this article on The Economic Times