How Technology Has Changed The Dynamics of Leadership Some prominent leaders tell us how technology is driving modern leadership

The dynamics of leadership are ever changing with a need for leaders to effectively adapt, else lose out. Be it in business, politics or the social ecosystem, the penetration of technology has made leaders more accessible and transparent than ever before, while few still choose to live their life in recluse.

So have traditional nuances of leadership become irrelevant. Not really feels Alojz Peterle, the former Prime Minster of Slovenia who was in India recently for a leadership forum.

"Ultimately leadership is about making things better and to make that happen we need leaders who not only have a strong sense of ethics but believe in letting go of the past to look at a prospective future and build effective partnerships," he said.

And just how relevant is technology in the process? "Extremely," he said. " Today you are not aware whether you are communication with a real person or a bot, thanks to the advancement in AI," he added.

Echoing the former PM's views, Aroon Purie, one of the pioneers of media in this country feels no matter who the leader is, Trump or Kim Jong Un, the two major trends of globalization and technology are irreversible, and a reality no one can ignore or run away from.

"We live in a sharing world. Look at social media, the Ubers the Airbnbs. The world is more transparent and that compels leaders to be more transparent and accountable," he said.

The Medium of Conflict Has Changed

Despite the urge to conduct collaborative and peaceful negotiations, conflict still exist, and in many cases have worsened. As the advancement in technology changes economies, it has also changed the medium of conflict, which was earlier restricted to the physical world only.

"Today the fear is of cyberwar and not physical wars," said GM Rao, Chairman of GMR Group at the event who believes to sustain in such times one needs to be prepared from all avenues and have strong fundamentals.

Cyberwarfare has been a major cause of concern world over, with not just private entities like Twitter, Amazon, Netflix, PayPal, Yahoo and others being part of such attacks, but even governments, as close to a dozen elections this year were marred with hacking claims.

So how does one fight or rather reconcile with parties who are in most cases unknown? Collaboration is the only way, harps spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who believes no matter what the mode or medium of disruption is, leaders need to work together.

"Today insecurity among leaders is the biggest hindrance for effective collaboration. We need a non-disruptive approach to leadership, one where followers need not be scared of leaders, rather work with them to fulfill common goals," he said.