Leadership as a Meandering River: The Evolution of Roles within a Complex Organisational System
Jesse Segers, Ginkgo Consulting
Leadership has often been reduced to a succession of styles over the years: transformational, situational, or, more recently, toxic leadership. For many professionals, it has become an endless stream of trends—one hype after another, often detached from the contexts in which they originated. This frustration is understandable. Yet leadership cannot be separated from the broader societal and organisational developments in which it is rooted. It is a cumulative narrative, a fabric of roles that have evolved over time in response to a changing world.
Leadership resembles a river, starting as a simple structure but becoming increasingly complex and layered as it flows through time and organisations. It meanders through societal transitions and the growing complexity of organisational systems, with each phase of leadership fulfilling a new function and adding new layers to our understanding of what leadership truly is.
The Task-Oriented Leader: Stability and Security
In the early 20th century, leadership was primarily associated with task orientation. Society still held a deep respect for hierarchy, and the leader was seen as a stabilising force. Much like a captain navigating a ship through a storm, the focus was on achieving goals and solving problems. This archetypal leader embodied stability and order, often aligned with directive, authoritarian, and transactional leadership styles. These leaders provided direction, ensured safety, and maintained order.
The Relationship-Oriented Leader: The Art of Connection
The 1960s and 70s brought about significant change. The established order was increasingly questioned, the flower power movement gained momentum, and the rise of large, often international organisations compelled leaders to focus not just on tasks but also on the people behind them. Leadership shifted to the art of building relationships. The middle manager emerged, balancing formal strategy with personal development. In the fragile space between people and tasks, a new tension arose—one that continues to preoccupy leaders today.
During this era, situational leadership concepts were developed, such as Hersey and Blanchard’s (1969) model. Leaders adapted their style—more task-oriented or relationship-focused—depending on the individual they were working with. Approaches like coaching, participative, delegative, and empowering leadership came to prominence.
The Transformational Leader: Change as a Mantra
The 1980s and 90s, marked by market liberalisation and the collapse of traditional societal structures, saw a growing demand for visionary and charismatic leadership. The transformational leader became a disruptive force, a catalyst for change. Stability was no longer cherished; movement was the new currency. These leaders pointed towards the horizon, urging organisations to evolve regardless of discomfort. A distinction between management and leadership was drawn: “A manager does things right; a leader does the right things” (Bennis, 1985). Yet the call for change often met resistance, creating tension between harmony (relationship-oriented applause) and disruption (naming the elephants in the room, often without applause).
The Network-Oriented Leader: Connecting Across Boundaries
By the 2000s, with globalisation in full swing, the network leader emerged. Navigating technology and open innovation, they operated beyond organisational boundaries, acting as connectors within an ever-expanding ecosystem. Instead of focusing solely on internal optimisation, they pursued large-scale change across organisations. Patience and diplomacy became their tools in a world where relationships and subtle collaboration were central. Leadership was no longer a sprint but a marathon, requiring humility, strategic waiting, and collective goal-setting. This era also saw the rise of shared, distributed, and co-leadership approaches.
The Values-Driven Leader: Authenticity and Transparency
The 2010s ushered in an era of values-driven leadership. Trust in leaders and organisations, shaken by the financial crisis, the rise of social media, and the #MeToo movement, called for greater authenticity and transparency. Leaders increasingly turned to internal compasses—their values—to guide both their organisations and themselves. Styles such as authentic, inclusive, ethical, purpose-driven, and even destructive or toxic leadership gained prominence.
The Systemic Leader: Towards Integration
Though the 2020s are still in their infancy, there are growing calls within academia to move away from defining new leadership styles and towards creating integrated taxonomies or frameworks. As organisations and societies navigate increasingly complex landscapes, the need to consider the entirety of the "river" becomes clear. Leadership is a dance with paradoxes, a series of delicate movements balancing stability and change, task and people, goals and values.
This perspective pushes us to look beyond styles and strategies, recognising that leadership ultimately serves a function within a complex system. Like a river, leadership is never static. There is no single style, no definitive form. It flows, transforms, and reshapes itself in harmony with the landscape through which it moves.