Classic leadership work under heavy criticism. But why actually?

When we look at the world of business today, one thing is certain: classical management is being questioned. Many stakeholders in the "management-leadership community" agree that leadership must be redefined. In this article, you will read ten theses on why leadership needs to change. **What do leadership theories say about classical leadership work?** Leadership theories have long foreshadowed this transition. While transactional leadership, which was based on engagement through reciprocity, was previously at the center of the leadership world, today transformational leadership, which focuses on the concept of meaning, is gaining importance. Transactional leadership functions as described by classical management: setting goals, goal control, developing and nurturing people form the core of this concept. The hierarchy as an organizational form, which resolves conflicts through delegation and excludes relevant contradictions, is also part of the package. With the transformational leadership approach, leadership work is now seen in a new light. Transformational leadership presents such high challenges to individuals that it quickly becomes clear that hardly any single person would be able to meet them. Therefore, leadership, as a bundle of roles, must also be distributed among several individuals. This renders the classical leader obsolete and makes hierarchy as an organizational model outdated. **What do senior executives say?** Looking directly into the management levels and not taking the grand statements of management gurus as truths may present a different picture. What opinions prevail there? The limitations of bureaucracies and hierarchical organizations are widely felt in the business world. However, the idea that leadership work in the leadership world must radically change due to this is not a widely shared view. My experience shows that we have entered a space full of contradictions. The conflicting forces can be found at all levels. Those who defend the old management are as numerous as those who courageously advocate for new leadership and organizational models. There is only one thing that is consistent: great uncertainty has taken hold. Therefore, it is permissible to conclude that we have entered a transitional space. The old and new models are in competition. Neither the old approaches nor the emerging models are the solution for the future. These new models are still too weak, too contradictory, and upon deeper examination, not consistently convincing for those individuals who hold central responsibilities for companies. Nonetheless, the change is unstoppable. It is just unclear where the journey will ultimately lead. In this case, we should discuss the solution models for the future in a very diverse and open-minded manner at this point in time. Here are ten theses that suggest a rapid and fundamental change, a true paradigm shift in leadership work. **10 Theses for a fundamental change** 1. **We are experiencing a shift in our worldviews and paradigms** 2. **We operate in a complex world (VUCA world)** 3. **Profound changes permeate economic life** 4. **All fundamental contradictions must be negotiated** 5. **Globalization and networking create extremely high density** 6. **People's needs have changed** 7. **Technological innovations bring pattern-breaking renewals** 8. **Digitalization completely redefines work and production** 9. **Sustainable Development sets new global priorities and boundaries** 10. **Growth takes on new meanings and is permeated by qualities** Certainly, today, there is one thing, as described by Peter Sloterdijk: "It cannot be denied, the only fact of universal ethical significance in the current world is the ever-growing realization that it cannot go on like this everywhere." "You must change your life." Consequently, organizations and leadership work must change! For more information on leadership work, visit: [http://www.deutsches-rednerlexikon.de/redner/heinz-peter-wallner.html](http://www.deutsches-rednerlexikon.de/redner/heinz-peter-wallner.html)