AI Era Demands 'Observational Skills' and 'Flexibility' in Philippine Leadership

The leadership aperture has quietly shifted. For a long time, we favored leaders who had all the answers, knew the most, decided quickly, and rarely showed uncertainty. We trusted the confident voice among us. That leader is becoming out-of-date. An article by Marcel Schwantes in Inc. magazine articulates a feeling many have long held: the competitive advantage of tomorrow's leader might not be knowing more than everyone else, but simply noticing what everyone else fails to notice. Schwantes highlights three human abilities that research indicates are more critical than ever: 1. Take the time to read the situation. Much like a smartphone camera's automatic aperture mode, a leader's 'emotional aperture,' a term coined by behavioral scientist Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, refers to their ability to detect not only individual emotions but also the atmosphere of an entire group. This means noticing unspoken tension, quiet disengagement behind polite nods, or voices that have ceased speaking up out of weariness. While most managers focus on the work itself, few truly notice how their employees are experiencing it. Identifying what energizes or drains the team, and observing who is engaged versus who is checking out, then taking action, makes a significant difference. 2. There is no one method of leading all people. Effective leaders modify their approach based on the individual and the situation. This is known as situational leadership, which posits that there is no single best way to lead everyone in every scenario. An experienced employee who has performed well for years may need autonomy and resources, with occasional opportunities for discussion, rather than step-by-step instructions. Conversely, someone newly given a responsibility they've never handled before will require guidance, coaching, and feedback until they adapt. Before intervening, leaders should ask: What does this person currently need from me? Direction, coaching, support, or space? The aim isn't to be a completely different leader for each employee, which leads to exhaustion, but to be flexible enough to provide more of what people need and less of what they don't. 3. Be at ease with not knowing. This is perhaps the most challenging aspect. As pressure mounts, people tend to clamp down, rely on old answers, defend assumptions, and seek a certainty that no longer exists. Shimul Melwani, a professor at UNC Kenan-Flagler, describes a healthier approach as 'subjective ambivalence'—the capacity to hold opposing ideas, accept ambiguity, and remain open to challenging opinions. The value lies in moving from memorizing facts to knowing what questions to ask. Substituting 'I need to know the answer' with 'What am I missing?' and asking follow-up questions like 'What else might be true?', 'Is there anyone else whose viewpoint we have not heard?', 'What assumptions are we making without realizing it?', and 'What would actually cause us to change our minds?' are crucial. Curiosity is now a recognized leadership competency. Reading the room, listening, making adjustments, questioning one's own certainty, seeing things from another's perspective, and having the humility to acknowledge that one never has all the answers—these are precisely the qualities that the ironic rise of AI highlights. The more artificial intelligence provides answers, the more valuable the human aspect of leadership becomes. Therefore, stay humble, stay curious, and keep asking. The moment you stop, so does your leadership. For those interested in developing these skills, Francis Kong's 'The Winning Edge' seminar-workshop on Oct. 21, 2026, is designed for emerging leaders and professionals. It focuses on personal growth, readiness, confidence, discipline, and the mindset for the next level, equipping participants to navigate uncertainty and disruption. For inquiries, contact April at +63 928 559 1798 or Sylene at +63 976 638 8974. [1] Sources: Marcel Schwantes, Inc. — “3 Leadership Skills That Matter More Than Ever, According to Research”