When it comes to exceptional leadership, the rules have changed. Dramatically.

Do you have these essential skills for leading in the modern workplace?

Practicing What You Preach

Authenticity is more important than ever before, thanks to the recent "accessible leaders" trend in U.S. companies. Employees know when you are talking the talk but not walking the walk.

Managing Multiple Generations

Companies today can have employees as young as 16 and as old as 75 (or up). Leaders must know how to separate generational stereotypes from actual generational management preferences.

Managing Virtual Teams

More and more companies are hiring remote workers and allowing their staff to telecommute at least part of the time. Strong leaders of tomorrow know how to manage dispersed teams effectively.

Collaboration

Companies, departments and teams are more interconnected than ever before. Leaders must be adept at collaborating effectively with people of all backgrounds, expertise, perspectives and priorities.

Strong Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

EQ is an essential skill for leaders of tomorrow. Communication and collaboration are part of every day, and it is critical to be tuned into the emotions of others and adjust your own emotions accordingly.

Cultural Management

Corporate culture is essential for employee engagement and happiness. Leaders that will thrive in 2020 will be adept at creating culture, maintaining it and growing it.

Resiliency

The only thing certain in corporate life is change. Effective leaders of today and tomorrow can take whatever comes at them and respond with calm confidence.

Solicit Feedback

Yes, it’s your job to offer feedback, but you should also welcome feedback yourself. Take a 360-degree assessment to find out where you're strong and where you could improve.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

You cannot do it all. Effective leaders delegate strategically so they can remain focused on mission-critical projects and tasks.

Practice Mindfulness

Thanks to wireless devices, we spend most of our days multitasking, but multitasking can actually be counterproductive. Try being a serial focuser and being truly "present" in the moment.

Make Time to Exercise

Leaders like Richard Branson, Elon Musk and Barack Obama stick to fitness routines because they understand how important exercise is to being an effective boss.

Get Plenty of Rest

Margaret Thatcher famously claimed to need only 4 hours of sleep a night. Some people can do that, but most cannot. Sleep literally recharges your batteries. Focus on making enough time for rest.