the world’s changing. is your leadership changing with it?

A global pandemic, economic turbulence, the rise of hybrid work, and the explosion of generative AI: it’s safe to say the last five years have been marked by constant change. Workplaces have had to adapt time and time again, and what we value in our leaders has changed shape alongside us. 

Authority and expertise are no longer enough. As Nadine Nehme PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Medicus AI, as well as a female factor mentor, says, “Leaders now have to pivot projects quickly in response to market or tech shifts instead of sticking to fixed annual plans.” 

According to Nadine, this significant shift in leadership practices is a good thing. It means we’re moving away from rigid hierarchical structures and toward adaptable, diverse workplaces where co-creation takes centre stage. As someone who’s transferred from academia to the AI tech startup environment, a space that revolves around uncertainty, Nadine is familiar with change – and knows how to make the most of it.

In this interview, she shares the current five key shifts in leadership that challenge traditional paradigms and encourage leaders to step into a more adaptable, authentic version of themselves.

Nadine Nehme PhD about redefining leadership

“Redefining leadership isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about creating environments where people feel safe to learn, share, and challenge ideas.” — Nadine Nehme

1. from stability and planning to adaptability and resilience

“Being a leader in this era of rapid change and uncertainty is not an easy task,” Nadine tells us. “What’s helped me most during my journey is my resilience and adaptability.” 

She’s noticed that these two traits are becoming a more and more valuable part of a leader’s toolkit. Since leaders have to constantly change course in response to emerging trends and sudden events, crafting excellent plans can only go so far. 

“It’s not easy [to be resilient and adaptable], but if managed properly, it can rescue a business,” Nadine says.  “At Medicus AI, we work closely with clients and partners to deliver state-of-the-art products that fit their needs. As part of this process, we need to pivot quickly. Adaptability is absolutely key.”

And it will only become more important as the way we work continues to change with generative AI and LLMs.

2. from “know-it-all” to “learn-it-all”

“Speaking of the tech shifts and the surge of generative AI making information more available than ever,” Nadine continues, “Leaders are now seen less as ‘experts who know it all’ and more as facilitators of collective intelligence.”

As part of this trend, “Executives host open innovation sessions, drawing solutions from cross-functional teams rather than issuing orders,” and fostering one’s curiosity is now an integral part of what makes a good leader.

Nadine has seen this in practice in big corporations as well as small startups, but one specific example comes to mind: “Satya Nadella shifted Microsoft’s culture from a ‘know-it-all’ to a ‘learn-it-all’ environment, which was really impactful. It helped establish a growth mindset centred on continuous learning and authentic vulnerability, which then unlocked a lot of innovation.”

As Nadine says, leadership is now all about “creating environments where people feel safe to learn, share, and challenge ideas.”

3. from rigid hierarchies to non-linear career ladders

“Being a scientist at heart comes with perfectionism and a need to have things done in a linear fashion from hypothesis to conclusion,” Nadine admits. “I am a researcher who bathed in academia for a decade.”

But her journey into leadership allowed her to challenge and change both of these paradigms. “It’s only when I learned to let go of these rigid ideas that I gave my team and myself the space to experiment and iterate. And when I gave a talk about career paths to postdoctoral candidates, I felt that I truly understood the power of non-linear career ladders.”

Now that Nadine’s shifted to entrepreneurship, she still applies her academic learning but has reframed it to fit a landscape where co-creation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and flat hierarchies are becoming the norm. 

So, what does this mean for leaders of the future? According to Nadine, they’ll become “system thinkers that are able to connect and bridge dots across sectors and disciplines.” Through experimentation and openness, leaders and their teams will be able to create innovative solutions tailored to solve specific problems.

4. from perfection to humanity

While Nadine believes that “based on the fast-paced changes we are experiencing today, the future we oversee is even faster and more demanding,” she also highlights the need for a deep human-centric approach, which will prompt leaders to encourage diverse and distributed teams, allowing innovation to prosper.

Her advice to those who are seeking to redefine leadership is to “always lead with empathy and purpose, as it gives you the needed drive to keep moving forward on those hard days.” 

What’s more, “Empower your team by encouraging psychological safety and allowing everyone to voice their ideas. Create a space for experimentation to assess these ideas. This can be coupled with rewarding collaborative behaviours, not only individual achievements.”

“Lastly, provide your team with the necessary tools to grow and evolve. This collective empowerment fuels resilience and innovation. Remember: as leaders, we need to embody these values for them to take root.”

As for leaders’ own well-being, Nadine advises us to surround ourselves with the right people who share our values and push us forward. “The world does not need perfect leaders,” she says. “It needs human ones who are ready to embrace the journey.”

5. from fear of change to failing forward

Of course, embracing new changes and leadership styles is far from easy. “Like with any change in life, there is a transition period that we need to brace for in order to manage the shift,” Nadine agrees.

“Things might seem difficult in the beginning, but with guidance and openness, we can move mountains. A saying that I like and use often is to ‘fail forward.’ It normalizes the idea of failing and gives it a new dimension, helping leaders to embrace failure as part of innovation.”

“Being resistant to change, on the other hand, and not allowing ourselves or our teams to discover and experiment with new ideas, threatens that much-needed innovative approach. I believe that with clear communication, gradual transitions, and a healthy working environment, these pitfalls can be overcome.”

making the most out of change

Change is the only constant we can rely on. For better or for worse, it always inevitably takes the world by storm – and it is up to us to adapt, challenge traditional paradigms, and evolve on both a professional and personal level.

Be it flat hierarchies, a “learn-it-all” approach, a leadership style rooted in humanity, or the openness to diversity and innovation, Nadine and other leaders are now observing shifts in leadership practices that do, indeed, look promising. 

Change isn’t something to fear. It’s something to lean into. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

about Nadine

As Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Medicus AI, Nadine drives the company’s scientific vision and innovation strategy, bridging complex biomedical data with AI-powered, personalized healthcare solutions. With over 15 years of experience in genetics, genomics, and immunology across academia and industry, she transforms health data into actionable insights that empower over 35 million users worldwide to make informed health decisions.

A recognized expert and advocate in women’s health, she also leverages AI and precision medicine to address female-specific health challenges. As a thought leader in digital health innovation, she combines scientific expertise with entrepreneurial drive.

Nadine is passionate about fostering collaboration across healthcare, technology, and research sectors to accelerate digital transformation and improve patient outcomes worldwide.

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