This article is attributed to Alex Cummins, Director @ Mango Training and Consultancy, and author of The Leadership Route
Leadership today is not about being the most experienced person in the room. In fact, clinging to that mindset may be what’s holding many teams, and leaders, back.
The pace of change in the modern workplace is relentless; the hybrid work revolution means that teams now span continents, cultures and generations, while nearly five generations work alongside each other in the same organisation. And yet, leaders are still expected to succeed using the same methods handed down from a different era; tools rooted in hierarchy, authority and control. Those tools were effective once.
The workplace of today, however, tells a different story.
Employees are overwhelmed, and burning out; a Deloitte study revealed that nearly 66% of Gen Z and Millennials showed a strong desire for purpose-driven leadership, and psychological safety, and reduced tolerance for toxic work cultures and top-down management styles. At the same time, PwC’s Asia Pacific Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey notes the shifting power balance between employers and employees, with employees hoping for greater transparency, equity and flexibility at work. Coupled with rapid technological change, and growing mental health concerns, and it becomes clear: leadership cannot remain stuck in the past.
For organisations that fail to, or refuse to, adapt, the consequences are tangible; a report by Gartner revealed that companies using strict top-down leadership experienced 25% slower innovation cycles and 15% lower employee productivity compared to organisations adopting more decentralised and trust-based leadership models.
From Control to Connection
Leadership today is evolving beyond the traditional models of command and control, and at the centre of this shift is a new mindset, rooted in trust, empowerment and shared ownership.
The Leadership Route refers, not to a fixed set of actions, but an interconnected web of beliefs, behaviours and competencies supporting a culture where others can thrive. This concept views leadership not as a fixed set of actions, but an interconnected web of beliefs, behaviours and competencies supporting a culture where others can thrive. Collaborative leaders are no longer heroes solving every problem, but stewards of environments where people are empowered to do their best work. Instead of ordering from the top, they lift from within.
This underpins the “lead by lifting” framework, which challenges leaders to examine the beliefs they hold about people. Do you believe people are only productive when closely monitored? Or do they flourish when trusted? The answer to these shapes everything-from how you delegate to how you resolve conflict and communicate vision.
One of the most critical, and misunderstood, components of this ecosystem is psychological safety. Referring to environments where people feel safe to speak openly, take risks, and admit mistakes, leaders who cultivate psychologically safe environments don’t shy away from hard truths. Instead, being an effective leader means engaging with them thoughtfully to create environments where mistakes become learning opportunities.
In such spaces, feedback flows freely, innovation accelerates and people are more likely to contribute their best ideas without fear of reprisal. In fact, studies reveal that teams in these environments are three times more likely to admit errors openly and twice as likely to experiment and problem-solve effectively.
These ideas are not just theoretical. In practice, organisations across diverse industries, including those with traditionally rigid structures like manufacturing, have successfully embedded psychological safety and the principles of collaborative leadership.
While the transition to a culture of shared ownership often meets resistance, success stories are emerging; teams report improved dynamics, stronger engagement, greater adaptability to change, and measurable boosts in productivity. For example, a recent Mango Training women’s leadership programme, which focused on the ideas of the Leadership Route, resulted in improved cross-functional collaboration and a reported shift from mistrust and toxicity..
Empowerment in Action
Empowerment forms the second pillar of the “lead by lifting” approach. It is, or should be, the multifaceted heart of every manager’s toolkit, extending beyond delegation to provide people with the context, clarity and confidence they need to make sound decisions. There’s no point in holding onto information; when teams are empowered with intention and information, they begin to lead themselves, take ownership of outcomes, and become invested in collective success. The business case for this shift is undeniable, with studies revealing that at least 67% of workers across organisations felt motivated to go the extra mile when empowered by their leaders.
Leadership development programmes are also evolving to meet this new reality. Rather than one-way knowledge transfers, effective interventions now embrace experiential, learner-driven approaches, encouraging leaders to question outdated assumptions and experiment with new behaviours. This aligns with broader industry trends, where rapid change, organisational restructuring, and strategic pivots demand empathetic and adaptable leadership. Meanwhile, McKinsey data showed that companies prioritising empowerment and shared ownership saw up to 40% improvements in employee engagement and significant reductions in absenteeism. These aren’t marginal gains—they’re competitive advantages in a complex, talent-driven economy.
Leadership Via Personal Reflection
This transformation does not stop at a behavioural level; it is a personal overhaul. Leaders are encouraged to reflect deeply on where their leadership instincts come from: be it influence by past managers, inherited corporate culture or even broader societal norms. As showcased in the Leadership Route, the most profound outcomes come from “aha!” moments during leadership interventions. In our training sessions, participants frequently describe these as turning points, moments where they rethink leadership not as control, but as connection. Understanding the origins of one’s leadership beliefs facilitates growth, either by reinforcing helpful patterns or unlearning those that no longer serve.
The focus is on influencing positive changes from within our own team, before (hopefully) expanding outwards. Sometimes, the most powerful shifts come from small, consistent actions: listening with intent, creating moments of trust or stepping back so others can step forward. Leading by lifting isn’t about being softer but wiser. It demands more self-awareness, more humility and a willingness to grow alongside the people one lead but the payoff is meaningful.
Leaders who have embraced this mindset have seen teams re-engage, morale improve and collaboration deepen, proving that when leadership is connection-centric, the results are not only better but also more sustainable. At the same time, office cultures built on these principles are also the most adaptable, giving organisations a critical edge in today’s volatile business environment.
As the future of work continues to be written, the leaders who will shape it are those who understand that authority isn’t granted by title alone. It’s earned through trust, compassion, and the ability to bring others with you, not by pulling them but by lifting them.
Leadership today doesn’t need more heroes at the top. Instead, it needs more humans at the heart. It’s time to take the Leadership Route.
