As we approach the final stretch of 2O24 — a year shaped by rapid change and disruption — Darshan Doshi is deeply curious about what’s next. Adeption’s new Chief Leadership Officer for Emerging Markets, Darshan has a passion for future thinking, and a keen interest in the changes unfolding in leadership development globally, especially in the Middle East and Asia.
AI will transform leadership development in the next 2-5 years
The traditional ‘sage on a stage’ approach to leadership development is being disrupted, Darshan says. Many organisations are already experimenting with new approaches, and he sees the model transforming in the near future.
“I think what we’re at the cusp of, and what’s going to happen in the next decade with AI, is just phenomenal. We’re living in really exciting times”.
Darshan predicts we’ll see a greater merging of human abilities (coaching and facilitation) with AI and technology, enabling highly personalised and targeted development. This integration will also enable organisations to extend development programs to more people — driving capacity and culture shifts and enabling more knowledge-sharing across hierarchies, he explains.
“Imagine if a business leader facing a challenge in one region, could see how another leader has recently solved a similar challenge in another geography, business function, or level of hierarchy? That’s the potential of technology,” says Darshan.
He emphasises AI won’t replace the role of people. “I see facilitators and coaches harnessing AI to get the best out of people. They’ll use it to help participants figure out what’s important to them and connect them with the tools and approaches they need to bring about behaviour change”.
Growing expectations of impact and proof
Darshan highlights that the value of development programs lies in their impact. Stakeholders will increasingly expect to see evidence of this, he says, which will in turn build trust and investment. He identifies several trends that will shape leadership development in coming years:
- Closing the knowing-doing gap. Understanding the neuroscience behind this gap — between what people know and what they actually do — and how to solve for it is key, explains Darshan. Coaching can play an important role in closing this development gap: “If you can upskill leaders in your organisation with coaching skills, this can unleash the potential of their people and teams”, says Darshan.
- Continuous development journeys. Leadership development has traditionally been ‘once and done’, or at best an annual investment. “I think we’ll see it become more of a continuous process — just like how we think about physical fitness”, he predicts. “Adeption is already doing this, by helping our clients move from episodic to continuous leadership development journeys. And we’ll see more organisations making this shift”.
- A new kind of data. To enable trust and buy-in from stakeholders, telling powerful stories through data will become essential, Darshan explains. “AI will play a key role here, and we’ll see new kinds of data emerge that we never before thought possible”. He shares an example of a recent Adeption Insights Report that found completing a leadership development program grounded in vertical development can be a promoter of mindset growth in around nine months (a typical program duration). “It typically takes people years to achieve this growth — so to be able to show stakeholders this kind of data is invaluable” he says.
- Supporting wellbeing. Another key focus for organisations will be avoiding burnout in high performers. “With the pace of change and constant uncertainty people are facing today, burnout is a growing risk. This can derail performance and teams — so we’ll see organisations play a greater role in supporting their people. Wellbeing will become a key part of organisational culture”.
Unique opportunities and challenges in Asia
Darshan believes some of the most rapid changes are happening in Asia and the Middle East. “We’re seeing immense economic growth, innovation, and a big focus on developing people in the region”, he says. “Countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are attracting top talent from around the world”.
“Here in India, we’re one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We expect this level of growth for the next decade. So, what we’re seeing is a combination of great human productivity and output, combined with innovation. We’re also seeing companies from the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand wanting to have a stronger presence here and in the wider region”.
This rapid growth brings its own challenges, Dashan explains. “What’s needed is to help people, teams, and organisations adapt and grow in a sustainable way. This means going beyond skill development, to capacity and mindset development. We’ll see these needs shape development programs in the region”.
Adaptability and continuous learning is key
As a leader and avid learner himself, Darshan has learned a lot about supporting others to develop — while leaning into his own continuous growth.
“When it comes to leading and developing others, I’ve learned to think about people first, over outcomes” he shares. “I like the idea of servant leadership, where we’re here to serve, help and enable. It’s an inside-out approach”.
He explains that investing in his own personal growth is essential to how he shows up as a leader. “I read a lot every day, and I apply what I read by experimenting. If you take the top 2% of the books from every discipline, imagine how much you would know. As Charlie Munger says, ‘Know the big ideas in the big disciplines and use them routinely’.
“For example, in both health and wealth creation, I’ve learned consistency is key. So I do three workouts a week and invest regularly. In both cases, it’s better to do a little often, rather than jumping in occasionally”, he says.
“I also talk to people who are experienced in things I need help with. I explain the context and the problem I have and ask, ‘How would you approach it’?”, he says. “The most important thing is to always be learning”.
Curious to learn more about Adeption’s approach to leadership development? Reach out to Darshan directly by emailing darshand@adeption.io