Leadership and complexity: What Trump teaches us about the necessary evolution of management

Back in 2011, while working at Boston Consulting Group, I had the unexpected honor of receiving the "Donald Trump Award for Outstanding Client Impact." Yes, you read that right. The award—voted on by BCG partners worldwide—was named after the very same Donald Trump who would later become a polarizing figure in global politics. It recognized the consultant with the most significant impact on clients, a title I held with pride (and perhaps a hint of irony in retrospect).

Fast-forward to today, and Trump is still making waves, but this time not in the world of consulting accolades. His approach to leadership raises some fascinating questions about modern-day leadership: how can an "archaic" style gain traction in our complex, interconnected world? What does Trump’s appeal tell us about the state of leadership, and what lessons can we, as leaders, draw from it? In the following article, I dive into these questions, exploring the paradox of Trump’s leadership style, its limitations, and the urgent need for a new breed of transformational leaders—or what I like to call "T-Leaders."

• The paradox of Trump: An archaic leader for a modern world

There’s no denying that Donald Trump is an extraordinary figure. His charisma, resilience, and sheer force of personality have captivated millions and set him apart on the world stage. Whether you agree with him or not, his ability to inspire loyalty and energize his supporters speaks to a rare and remarkable presence. Facing adversities—sometimes extreme, like an attempt on his life—Trump has demonstrated a courage and tenacity that many find deeply compelling.

Yet, while these qualities are powerful, they are also double-edged in today’s complex world. Trump’s style—a direct, sometimes divisive approach rooted in individualism and charisma—can be both captivating and limiting. This paradox raises an intriguing question: how does a seemingly “archaic” leadership style like Trump’s resonate so deeply in a globalized, interconnected era?

In this section, we’ll explore why his approach is effective in the short term and where it may fall short in creating lasting transformations.

• Quick wins but limited transformation

Analyzing Trump through the lens of transformational leadership, we see a figure who operates at intermediate levels, primarily as an "Achiever" and "Opportunist." His pragmatic approach, focused on immediate results, can deliver quick wins, especially in economic matters. However, by often reducing his actions to an economic dimension and relying on polarizing charisma, Trump is inherently limited to a short-term vision. This style of leadership, though impactful, lacks the depth needed for sustainable transformations to address today’s complex challenges. He may drive significant changes, but these are not the kinds of lasting transformations that leave a meaningful legacy.

• The challenge of emerging T-Leaders: Building an educational system in service of humanity

The true challenge of our time is fostering a new kind of leader—a T-Leader—capable of navigating complexity, promoting co-creation, and encouraging open debate. However, such leadership cannot emerge without a foundational shift in our educational structures. Today, as I discuss in La Transformance, we confront a structural limit: our educational system, shaped to meet current societal demands, is not designed to cultivate leaders prepared to engage with a complex world. Instead of making education serve society, we need to reverse this relationship, building a society that serves an educational system rooted in humanity and an appreciation for complexity.

This shift demands cultivating an “education in complexity,” an openness to debate, and an acceptance of disagreement as vital skills from an early age. Complexity, in fact, is at the heart of humanity. Simple issues can be addressed through technical solutions, but anything concerning life and the living requires a nuanced and collaborative approach. Preparing tomorrow's leaders means fostering a love for complexity itself.

• Call to action: Choosing between comfort and courage

If we fail to rebuild an educational system that prepares us for uncertainty and complexity, we are doomed to a repetitive cycle of autocratic leadership, where charismatic figures of the past govern people who lack self-belief but find reassurance in such authority. The real challenge for our society is to commit to this educational reform, inspiring and shaping T-Leaders—transformational leaders capable of navigating complexity with humanity and co-creating a continually evolving society.

It’s time we recognize that building the leaders of tomorrow starts not in boardrooms, but in classrooms. If we are to move beyond the social and managerial voids that I explore in La Transformance, we must invest in an educational system that values complexity, cultivates curiosity, and encourages collective problem-solving. By doing so, we lay the groundwork for a new generation of leaders who will not just adapt to change but will actively shape a better, more resilient future for us all.

For today’s leaders, the call to action is clear: even if you cannot transform the entire educational system, you can lead by example. Embrace your role as a catalyst within your organization by fostering a culture of dialogue, encouraging diverse perspectives, and demonstrating the courage to navigate complexity. In doing so, you not only inspire those around you but also contribute to the shift towards a new era of leadership—one where businesses and organizations become spaces for collective growth, resilience, and co-creation.