“Leadership in Rapidly Changing Environments”

Abstract

Introduction This paper is designed to provide an understanding of the problems that today's business leaders face. An analysis of the challenges facing today’s leadership is presented, together with the obstacles that leaders face in times of increasing changes, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit, as well as the rapid adoption of technology and the possible solutions that are accessible. It is widely assumed that effective leaders would be those who react most effectively to the requirements of these different circumstances. When things are peaceful, great managers may rest, find agreements and make group decisions at their convenience. When turmoil occurs, however, an effective leader should be determined and demonstrate a relentless capacity to concentrate on the issues ahead, while ignoring the damaging critics (Grint, 2005). For such capacity, leaders in the present day are required to be equipped with solutions, as the business climate changes and unpredictability arises. The solutions discussed include: becoming transformational; developing trust; managing change effectively; investing in leadership; adapting leadership styles; utilising technology advancements, such as data analytics; and employee engagement. For better understanding of how leaders can handle issues with such potential solutions, the paper focuses specifically on the Coca-Cola Corporation. The Coca-Cola Corporation is among the most profitable and well-known corporations globally, and it represents much more than its trademark coke drink. The Coca-Cola Corporation is a leading distributor, producer, as well as marketer of non-alcoholic drinks, with more than 500 varieties available in over 200 nations and regions (The Coca-Cola Company, n.d). Since 1889, the Coca-Cola Company has operated a franchised supply chain network, wherein it exclusively manufactures syrup concentration, which is subsequently distributed to different bottling companies across the globe which have autonomous territories. The leadership of the Coca-Cola Company has embraced the potential aforementioned solutions to combat the challenges faced by businesses all over the world, such as the Covid-19 pandemic that has had an effect on ‘normal’ economic strategy, which created an unpredictable environment of lockdowns, and significant supply chain instabilities (Hartwell & Devinney, 2021). This provides insight into other leaders in their aim of gaining organisational productivity, even in the face of a crisis.