In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, the role of leaders is undergoing a significant transformation. The challenges they face are increasingly complex, requiring a much broader skill set and adaptability than ever before.

SHRPA Global State of the HR industry report identifies three major gaps that HR leaders across APAC and the Middle East today require to overcome to deliver business impact. For Radhika Punshi, this begins with the right leaders.

Speaking as part of the SHRPA Success Navigator Leadership interview series, she highlights how leadership was often seen as a choice between two distinct priorities: task-focused leadership or people-focused leadership. However, this binary view is no longer adequate. Modern leaders are expected to be strategic and execution-oriented simultaneously. They must manage risks while being highly creative, balancing tough business decisions with consideration for their teams, stakeholders, and long-term sustainability. This paradoxical thinking — doing seemingly contradictory things at once — is now the hallmark of effective leadership.

In line with the reports findings, Radhika also highlights how HR own skills need to be prioritised. This becomes especially relevant when in regions like the Middle East.  While HR leaders and their teams may be well-prepared for change, they often struggle to execute it effectively, particularly when it involves complex technological solutions.

In response, HR leaders must upskill themselves not only in people management but also in digital technologies and innovation. By developing a digital mindset and honing technological skills, HR professionals can more effectively drive the digital transformation required to meet modern challenges.

Major Highlights of the conversation include:

  • The future of work will depend heavily on upskilling and reskilling. Employees must be empowered to improve their skills, which will help them adapt to the changing demands of the workplace
  • The focus on digital transformation is evident in the Middle East, where organizations are more open to investing in AI and advanced analytics to enhance HR performance.
  • Digital and change fatigue is impacting the effectiveness of HR leaders and employees.
  • To raise their ability to execute transformative HR initiatives, leaders need to adapt by enhancing their digital readiness, improving their technological skills, and embracing a more skills-based approach to organizational structure.