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Why tomorrow’s great leaders won’t be defined by technology

This blog post was written by Kay Vessey, Head of Talent and Learning, H&H Agency.

In many ways, work should feel simpler than ever. Technology has carved away so much of the administrative weight that once occupied our time. With artificial intelligence now capable of drafting content, shaping strategies, and even designing inclusive workplace guidelines, it can feel as though almost anything can be generated with a well-crafted prompt. If you’ve never written a performance guide, AI can do it. If you’ve never planned a town hall, AI can outline it. If you’ve been avoiding a difficult email, AI will happily write a first draft on your behalf.

But this new level of technological ease has surfaced an important and provocative question: as the workplace becomes more powered by tech, will we even need leaders?

It sounds like the sort of question designed to spark anxiety, yet it’s incredibly helpful because it pushes us to consider what leadership truly is – and what it absolutely cannot be replaced by.

The crucial truth is that technology, for all its brilliance, cannot understand what it feels like to be human. It cannot experience emotion, aspiration, fear, pride or frustration. It cannot grasp the complexity of living in a real body in a physical world. And because of that, it cannot understand why people behave the way they do. It can see patterns, but it cannot feel them. It can analyse behaviour, but it cannot interpret the human experience behind it.

And that is where leadership steps in – not as a relic of a pre-AI age, but as an irreplaceable force that will shape the future of work far more profoundly than any machine.

The changing workplace: why human leadership matters more than ever

The workplace has never evolved more quickly or more dramatically. Artificial intelligence is now woven into everyday processes, from decision-making and reporting to creative tasks that once required significant time and skill. Hybrid working has transformed how colleagues connect, how teams form relationships, and how leaders maintain cohesion across screens and schedules. And layered into this is a profound generational shift.

Generation Z already accounts for more than a quarter of the global workforce, and their expectations are reshaping organisational cultures everywhere. They want meaningful work, flexibility, balance, and belonging. They want to contribute to environments that reflect their values. And soon they’ll be joined by Generation Alpha: the first cohort raised entirely in the digital century, immersed in technology from the moment they were born. They will bring ambition and creativity – but less willingness to compromise for workplaces that don’t align with who they are.

These shifts aren’t theoretical. They’re happening now. And they coincide with another challenge: global employee engagement has fallen to just 21%, according to Gallup. That means almost four in five employees are disconnected from their work – a statistic with huge commercial implications, and an even bigger emotional one.

Together, these forces signal that the future of leadership will be defined not by technical expertise but by human connection. Leaders will succeed not because of what they know about systems, but because of how well they understand people.

Human skills: the new competitive advantage

For years, many organisations treated humanity as an optional extra – something soft and intangible that sat outside the boundaries of “serious” leadership. Yet the evidence suggests that human qualities are not only desirable in leaders, but essential.

Google’s two-year study, Project Aristotle, examined 180 of its own teams to uncover what made the highest performers so effective. The conclusion was both surprising and simple: psychological safety. The teams that thrived weren’t those with the most experience or the strongest individual talent. They were those where people felt safe to express ideas, make mistakes and be vulnerable.

Gartner’s research also revealed that leaders who demonstrate empathy and adapt to employees’ needs significantly increase their overall effectiveness. Empathy is no longer a “nice to have”. It is a business advantage. It fuels creativity, strengthens retention, deepens trust and elevates performance.

These findings reinforce something we intuitively know: people do their best work when they feel understood.

Understanding motivation: the role of PRINT®

This is where tools such as PRINT® become invaluable. PRINT® uncovers the hidden drivers behind our behaviour – the unconscious motivations that explain why we thrive in some situations and struggle in others. It reveals our natural strengths, the conditions that help us work at our best, and the triggers that push us into unproductive or reactive states.

For leaders, this understanding is transformative. When a leader knows what motivates each member of their team – and what blocks or frustrates them – they can communicate more effectively, reduce friction, and build trust. They can create conditions that allow people to find purpose. They can anticipate challenges before they arise. And importantly, they can model a more self-aware, emotionally intelligent style of leadership.

This kind of insight is something no AI tool can replicate. Machines can highlight patterns in data, but only humans can understand the emotional meaning behind them.

A glimpse at tomorrow’s leader

So what does a futureproofed leader look like? Imagine someone in the early 2030s, managing a team that spans generations, locations and working styles. This leader embraces technology without being ruled by it. They use AI as a tool – not a crutch – and understand where human judgment is irreplaceable. They cultivate performance through empathy rather than pressure. They master digital collaboration without letting it strip away the warmth and nuance of human connection. And they intentionally build cultures shaped by humour, trust, and psychological safety.

Above all, they know what motivates people – and they use that knowledge to inspire rather than instruct.

This isn’t idealistic. It’s practical. And it’s necessary if organisations want to attract and retain the brightest talent of the future.

How we can start building these leaders today

Preparing for the future of leadership doesn’t require a radical reinvention of the workplace. It starts with small, conscious actions. Leadership development programmes should place human skills at their core, ensuring that young talent is nurtured not only for its potential, but for its individuality. Organisations such as Hull’s Top 30 Under 30 programme are embedding PRINT® to help young talent become more self-aware and better deal with collaboration and communication. Or internal programmes like Leadership in the Spotlight at East Riding Country Council has shown that focusing on the people skills of leaders makes for more effective leadership and teamwork.

Intergenerational mentoring can create powerful learning partnerships, blending the insight of experience with the energy of fresh perspectives. And organisations can actively create spaces where vulnerability, storytelling and humour are celebrated, reminding people that work is, at its heart, a human endeavour.

Tools like PRINT® can then deepen this foundation, helping people understand themselves, understand one another, and build teams that operate with intention rather than assumption.

The leaders of tomorrow will be human-savvy

In the end, the leaders who will define the next decade won’t necessarily be those who master the newest technology. They’ll be the ones who master themselves – and who understand the people around them with clarity, compassion and curiosity.

Technology will continue to evolve at phenomenal speed. But humanity will remain the constant.

So the question is no longer whether we still need leaders in a tech-driven world.

The real question is this: what will you do today to nurture yourself, your teams and the next generation? If you’re curious about how PRINT® could help you or your team to lead then find out more at Discoveryourprint.co.uk.