When Dhirubhai Ambani walked into a room, there used to be a sudden silence. Even at a party (though he generally had no time for society affairs), some sort of bush telegraph would communicate the message from those who first saw him to the rest of the assembled guests. There would be a couple of minutes when the hum would die down, people would crane their necks to look at the business icon and then the conversation would start again.

It’s very different when one of today’s business leaders arrives at a similar party. Someone like N.R. Narayana Murthy, chief mentor of Infosys, could probably spend the whole evening on the fringes without anybody noticing him. Bill Gates of Microsoft has been known to slip into the last row of seats at a meeting. People in his organisation have been told not to get distracted in trying to acknowledge him. There are many others — be it Azim Premji of Wipro or Anand Mahindra of Mahindra & Mahindra — who prefer to keep the same low profile.

You’ll find some who seem not to fit the mould. They always have a buzz of attention and dozens of satellites hovering around them wherever they go. Look closer and you will see the reason why. Even before they arrive at a party, they send some of their flunkies to check out the “quality” of the guests and whether there are any people present who could cause potential embarrassments. As they are en route, the organisers are told of their imminent arrival. This ensures that a welcome committee is ready. These people aren’t charismatic leaders or show stoppers; they just want to give the impression that they are. Says career coach Russ Volckmann: “The era of the CEO as Zeus on high has really been broken down.”

According to a recent study by the Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL) on the Changing Nature of Leadership, what CEOs see as the most important requirement in today’s world is collaboration or working effectively across boundaries. An obvious corollary is that you can’t arrive as a Julius Caesar leading a victorious legion, make your quota of noise and disappear until the next visitation. “Today’s leaders must network with their subordinates; they must be human,” says Mumbai-based HR consultant D. Singh.

This is something that should matter not just to the aspiring CEO but also to the executive who would be content to reach halfway up the corporate ladder. Savvy HR departments are checking out this quality in you for recommending promotions. In fact, how fast you climb is no longer dependent on your immediate boss. In an age of 360 degree appraisals, your networking skills with those around you are all the more important.

“Effective leaders are skilled at interpersonal relationships,” says André Martin, senior associate of the CCL. “They are able to negotiate and handle work problems without alienating people. They show they understand others’ perspectives and needs and are able to gain cooperation, trust and respect. Managers who are successful at building and maintaining relationships keep their cool and avoid creating adversarial relationships; they are diplomats — they get things done by finding common ground; they use good timing and common sense in negotiating; and they can relate to all — they can develop a rapport with all kinds of individuals, from shopfloor to top executives.”

Singh says this is all the more important today because of globalisation. Tomorrow’s managers will have to build bridges across continents. “You need to have all the other CEO skills, you need intelligence,” he adds. “But you need to keep all that in reserve. It has never been as important to speak softly and carry a big stick.”

A DEMANDING JOB

Required leadership skills in the future       

Collaboration (working across boundaries effectively)        49(%)

Change Leadership        38(%)

Building effective teams        33(%)

Influence without authority        33(%)

Driving innovation        29(%)

Coaching        26(%)

Building and mending relationships        25(%)

Adaptability        25(%)

Paying attention (seeing things from different angles)        24(%)

Co-inquiry (learning from others through questions)        17 (%)

Resourcefulness        17(%)

Leveraging differences        16 (%)

Global awareness        15(%)

Decisiveness        13(%)

Doing whatever it takes (finding any way to get results)        13(%)

Straightforwardness and composure        10(%)

Credibility        9(%)

Ethical decision-making        8(%)

Other        5(%)

(Source: The 2007 Changing Nature of Leadership Survey; Centre for Creative Leadership)