Leading after the boom: developing future leaders from a future leader's perspective

Purpose This paper aims for an open discussion of new traits which are important to the success of future leaders. By understanding what is important to the new generations coming into leadership roles and how that differs from previous generations, a new set of leadership traits can be developed to help future leaders find success. The purpose of this paper is to challenge the current practices of leadership traits that are being developed and defined for making successful leaders. Design/methodology/approach This paper was designed to raise questions regarding what traits are being developed in current leaders to make them successful and provide two suggestions for new traits to be developed in future leaders. The bulk of the research was from books that analyzed leadership characteristics and the generational needs of the previous and current generations. The information was accompanied with personal experience working as and with the new generation of potential leaders. Findings This paper initiates the need for a discussion on why it is important to start discussing the development of the future generation of leaders. It suggests that the traits of curiosity and belief will be beneficial to the success and fulfillment of future leaders. Research limitations/implications Because of the newness of this concept in regards to curiosity and belief being leadership traits, the research comes from theories and a real life, relevant understanding of leadership development. Therefore, it is encouraged to continue to build upon the thoughts and ideas presented in the paper. Practical implications This paper includes implications that there is a need for leadership development and that through the development of future leader traits, based on what they want from the workforce, will help to make them successful and sustainable future leaders. Originality/value This paper fulfills a need to understand what areas future leaders will need to be developed to create a new generation of effective and successful leaders.