Published Online:June 2024
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Effective Executive
Product Type:Article
Product Code:
Author Name:Colin Coulson-Thomas
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Management
Download Format:PDF
Pages:22
An unprecedented combination of various categories of interrelated global risks and existential threats represent a profound challenge for political, business and other leaders. Those who advise and support leaders may have limited understanding of them, while existing arrangements and institutions for addressing them are often inadequate. Many existential threats are the result of human activities. Effective responses to them require cooperation and collective action. While common interest in survival may encourage consensus on aims, subsequent commitments to act can vary. Vested interests and defensive lobbies abound. Balanced and objective advice and attention, and budgets and preparations for high impact but low probability threats may be difficult to obtain. Leaders should be collaborative unifiers who can quickly step up and bring people together. They should act as educators, advocates, and champions when required, for collective understanding of existential threats and their possible impacts, and what is required to respond to them as and when/where they arise.
The contemporary era is one of global risks and existential threats that represent a profound challenge for people, organizations and their leaders (Beard et al., 2023; WEF, 2024a and 2024b; and Coulson-Thomas, 2024). It is also characterized by a variety of related opportunities and trends and developments that create new possibilities and options as well as additional dilemmas, problems and pressures upon attention, capabilities, and resources. For many, past optimism appears to have given way to insecurity and uncertainty, resulting in stress. Not surprisingly, many people are anxious, concerned and worried about the present situation and their future prospects. In many countries, there is increasing demand for mental health and wellbeing services. Younger people may delay starting a family and for some, even in developed countries, home ownership may seem a remote possibility.