LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
encompass opportunities for reflection, dialogue and critical thinking, enabling leaders to examine their assumptions and reconsider their practices. Some institutions already emphasise the integration of professional competence with ethical awareness and social commitment. Such approaches acknowledge that leadership concerns not only performance but also the broader impact of organisations on individuals and society. In this discourse, the need to reskill is more than a transient trend and signifies a redefinition of leadership for the contemporary context, revolving around: • Leading beyond physical presence, while sustaining human presence in digital work • Leading from ethical principles, while engaging with difference • Leading with technology, without losing judgement, responsibility or social awareness In the digital era, leadership is, of course, evaluated by outcomes. However, it must also be measured by the ability to foster environments that enable collaboration across distances, intergenerational learning and responsible action amid complexity. For a leader to reskill, they must embrace continuous learning and recognise that the capacity to learn anew might just be the most critical leadership competency today.
Intergenerational collaboration represents another dimension of leadership reskilling. Historically, organisational culture presumed that experienced leaders imparted knowledge to younger employees in a unidirectional manner. However, learning is now reciprocal. Digital transformation, social change and evolving work expectations have resulted in scenarios where younger professionals possess skills that senior leaders are yet to acquire, while experienced leaders continue to be a vital source of strategic perspective and institutional knowledge. Reverse mentoring exemplifies this shift. When organisations facilitate intergenerational dialogue, they integrate the political capital and long-term vision typically linked to Baby Boomers and Generation X with the digital fluency, adaptability and transparency valued by Millennials and Generation Z. Such exchanges enhance organisational culture and mitigate tensions that may arise when change is perceived as a threat rather than an opportunity. According to 2025 research from the World Economic Forum, organisations with higher talent retention rates typically conceptualise leadership as a systemic practice rather than an individual attribute. In such organisations, leadership is enacted through projects, collaboration and the integration of diverse capabilities. Success relies less on individual authority and more on the effective co-ordination of knowledge, personnel and resources. In this context, reskilling leadership also entails developing people who can build bridges between disciplines, cultures and approaches to work. Intercultural competence, organisational learning and talent retention are now interconnected aspects of a unified leadership responsibility. The ongoing nature of learning The imperative for reskilling leadership is closely
Fernando Ortiz Cueva is a professor and co‑ordinator of the Game-Based Learning Unit in the Department of Economics, Administration and Marketing (DEAM) at ITESO Business School, Mexico. He holds a PhD from Universidad Marista de Guadalajara Carlos Reynoso Núñez is a professor and co-ordinator of the Basic Academic Unit in Organisational Behaviour and People Management at DEAM, ITESO Business School. He holds a PhD from Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla
linked to lifelong learning and professional development can no longer be confined to a
single stage of life. Instead, leaders must engage in continuous learning throughout their careers, both to acquire new knowledge and to reinterpret existing knowledge in response to emerging realities. Already, this perspective is becoming increasingly apparent in higher education and executive development, with learning regarded as an ongoing process rather than a singular achievement. From this standpoint, leadership development must focus on much more than technical training. It must
Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2026
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