Business moves fast, maybe even faster than you can imagine. Small companies as well as big corporations are trying to meet new rules and change themselves accordingly. Great leaders understand that in order to be successful you need to stay on top of the stream. How can it be accomplished? Start by understanding that changes are always unpredictable and require your ability of separating new paradigms from the old ones. Hope the rules below will help you to succeed in that.

1. Collaboration is a new currency for business.

Partnerships, collaboration and sharing ideas are not only important for combining forces with the other companies or partners but also have a huge role in the relationships between colleagues. Firstly, forward – thinking leaders do not neglect the partnership with other companies on the first place. It does not matter whether it is a big corporation with an equal strengths or a budding start up.

Remember, no one had trusted Instagram before Facebook have bought it. Secondly, the innovative leaders encourage collaboration within the group of employees. All the departments should be united and feel free to share the ideas with everyone at work. For instance, Pixar holds a weekly meetings with all the teams involved in creating new ways, and approaches for the development.

2. To be visible = to be social.

Today, when the most rising share of employees becomes a so – called “millennials” – digital natives that were born in the era of the technological boom, it is highly important for leaders to be social. It is not enough to sign up to every social network. You have to express your opinion, share valuable information or even provide the insights into the some aspects of your personal life. Openness and honesty is a new paradigm.

3. Show everyone your expertise.

You can set yourself apart from the crowd by sharing experience and information about the sphere you specialize in. It would not be boasting. You colleagues, partners, employees will see that you are a trusted person that can solve problems and lead people in the right direction. It is also a great way to increase your sphere of interest.

4. Allow for conflict.

Naturally, your company will combine people from the different backgrounds, communities, even countries. At this stage, you as a leader, should take an advantage of this situation and allow people to express different points of view that will create some disagreements and conflicts. You can ask: “Why would I do that? I do not want to destroy the company”. The answer is simple. In the future, the only people that will succeed at the market are those that are able to make innovation. Therefore, disagreements are necessary, since no one can think of something new unless he is pushed to think in the new direction. Indeed, it is not possible unless you engage with people who have different points of view.

5. Employees will lead a company by themselves.

Up until now the tight and clear hierarchy were the building stone of companies. Executives had to go through the long process so as to talk to the CEO or Deputies. Nonetheless it has changed, as now the internet and social media allows to shorten this process. Thus, the leaders that still rely on that model will face the challenge. The bureaucracy will not exist anymore. In the nearest future employees and clients will decide the company’s path.

6. Embrace the positions. Great leaders do not need it.

Have you ever thought that some of your colleagues or you as a person deserve to hold the other position, perhaps a more prosperous one? I bet you have. And it is not a surprise as you can feel the capacity unconsciously. The tendency goes further and in a new era of management positions wouldn’t mean anything. Only personal characteristics and a way of influence will be important.

7. Your brand is your reputation.

Today, your reputation fully depends on the impression you have created. Be sure that you present yourself as you would want to be seen. As it was mentioned before, show your expertise, ability to solve problems, your public character and past achievements. Remember that the way you say and do things today defines how people will perceive you in the future. Be sure that your brand represents you well.

In a nutshell, I would like to highlight that a new business generation is on its way. New leaders are taking places everywhere. In order to stay on the top you have to adapt to new rules. And as Alice in Wonderland once said: “Here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.”