Stop Thinking About the Org Chart

Daniel Goleman is author of the international best-seller Emotional Intelligence and Optimal: How to Sustain Personal and Organizational Excellence Every Day. He is a regular contributor to Korn Ferry. 

Amid economic turbulence, climbing burnout rates, and the existential uncertainty brought on by AI, many leaders are asking themselves a quiet but potent question: Am I really built for this?

It’s a fair question—and it’s being asked beyond just the C-suite. A recent report found that 40% of leaders are actively considering stepping down. Not because they can’t lead, but because the traditional way of doing so doesn’t seem to fit anymore.

Among CEOs' top five concerns are retaining and growing top talent, weathering a recession, navigating uncertainty, and driving corporate innovation. The world is changing—and everything needs to change with it, from who’s leading, to how they’re leading, to what they’re leading. In the words of philosopher Alan Watts: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

This is where Human-Centered Design (HCD) and entrepreneurial leadership come in—not as grand philosophies, but as ways back to what is foundational to business: people, purpose, and the courage to create.

At its core, Human-Centered Design (HCD) is about solving problems with people, not just for them. It asks leaders to slow down and look beyond org charts and job titles in order to understand the needs, behaviors, and aspirations of the humans who work with them. It requires all of what emotional intelligence encompasses: empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to listen to understand.

The process unfolds in a few key phases: empathizing with people’s real experiences, defining the core problem, brainstorming creative ideas, and prototyping possible solutions, then circling back to test, refine, and repeat. An HCD process isn’t a one-and-done process, it's a continuous loop of listening and learning.

When paired with entrepreneurial leadership—which thrives on taking smart risks, adapting quickly, and finding opportunity in the unknown—a certain type of leadership is born. The entrepreneurial-leadership style combines the hallmark qualities of an entrepreneur (think unbound creativity, drive, and a willingness to innovate quickly) with the best of traditional leadership (strategic foresight, emotional intelligence, and strong organizational skills). These are leaders with a clear vision and the flexibility to change courses as circumstances demand. They are leaders who embrace failure, transparency and integrity—not because they think they should, but because they see what’s needed.

The overlap between HCD and entrepreneurial leadership isn’t just philosophical—it’s practical. Human-centered design begins with empathy, and entrepreneurial leadership begins with curiosity. Both require the ability to look outward and inward at the same time—to observe what’s needed and imagine what’s possible.

This combo is especially potent in today’s hybrid-work reality. Teams are distributed. Connections are fragile. Burnout is real. Leaders who design with their people—rather than simply for them—can create more flexible systems, processes, and cultures that actually reflect how people work best.

More broadly, combining these two approaches offers leaders a chance to shift from reactive leadership to regenerative leadership—from not just managing the chaos to leveraging it. Leaders who work this way don’t just “deal with” change—they architect it. And even better—they bring their teams along for the ride.

For many decades there has been a belief—however silent in some circles—that leadership is about having it all figured out.

What we are coming to see in the current landscape is that leadership is about something radically different. Ultimately, it’s about getting curious and collaborative, and daring to build, alongside others, what hasn’t previously been built.

Co-written by Elizabeth Solomon

Click here to learn more about Daniel Goleman's Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence.