Leadership is evolving in the platform era, moving away from traditional hierarchical models. Today’s leaders must foster collaboration and collective intelligence, rather than exerting control. This shift is driven by the rise of platforms, which are inherently collaborative and decentralised. Platforms allow for the co-creation of value, with everyone involved contributing and benefiting.
Interactions in these platforms are guided by protocols, a set of rules that determine how participants behave and interact. These protocols are designed to foster trust and cooperation, and are often more effective than traditional command-and-control leadership. Leaders in the platform era are more like architects, designing the protocols that guide interactions and behaviour.
However, designing effective protocols is challenging. It requires a deep understanding of the platform’s ecosystem and the needs of its participants. This is where empathy comes in. Empathy allows leaders to understand and anticipate the needs of platform participants, enabling them to design protocols that are effective and fair.
In conclusion, the role of leadership in the platform era is shifting from control to collaboration, from command to co-creation. This requires a new set of skills and attitudes, including the ability to design effective protocols and the empathy to understand the needs of platform participants.
Go to source article: https://stories.platformdesigntoolkit.com/rethinking-leadership-in-the-platform-era-5a7697c3a343