By Sarah Nicastro, Founder and Editor in Chief, Future of Field Service

Next week we’ll announce the Stand Out 50 of 2026 – a group of leaders being recognized for their notable impact in the areas of authenticity, innovation, and execution. As we prepare for what is both an incredibly taxing and rewarding event, you can understand why I have leadership on my mind.

My fellow judges and I poured over the nominations, reading tales of how these individuals have not only accomplished impressive feats but – more importantly – how they’ve impacted peoples’ lives.

When the news is full of headlines of individuals that don’t seem to lead with integrity, care, or even humanity, it’s comforting to be reminded that there are plenty of leaders out there putting good into the world (while working hard).

How AI Impacts Leadership

I believe there’s a groundswell underway that demands more of today’s leaders. This shift, precipitated by the talent evolution and perpetuated by the expansion of AI, is significant and will create a point of differentiation for businesses in the coming years.

Which companies are set apart in the future will have to be adept at keeping pace with technology, certainly. And they must adapt to meeting today’s – and tomorrow’s – customer demands. What work looks like for all levels of the business will undoubtedly change, yes. But, in my opinion, strong leadership has never been more important as it is today – and will only be increasingly so.

However, there are a couple of variables that make this especially tricky. First, some of what constitutes good leadership has changed – and not all leaders have taken note. Second, in service specifically, we have many leaders within the ranks that really weren’t ideal for the role – they were put there as a progression from being strong individual contributors, but not necessarily because they’re good people leaders.

The next era of service transformation isn’t going to look like the last, in more ways than one. AI is far more capable – and complex – than any technological evolution that’s come before. The frontline workforce is in a precarious position. Service leadership isn’t an easy feat – it never has been, but even more so – which is why we care so much about recognizing the individuals that take it on.

When I reflect on my conversations with leaders across industries, around the world, as well as with frontline employees, these are the leadership traits that come to mind that have never been more important. That’s not to say they haven’t always been valuable traits, but rather that they have either taken on new meaning or are even more valuable given what’s changed.

Authenticity & Emotional Intelligence

In my recent podcast discussion with Kris Oldland, we spoke about how authenticity becomes an even more crucial characteristic in the AI era. I believe we’re only seeing the very beginning of how so, and it’s a trait that today’s workforce really needs from leadership.

We’re all weary of BS, of individuals who offer nothing more than towing the company line, who show no interest in getting to know people, or being known. We want realness, humanity, and to know someone gives a damn.

Beyond authenticity, other elements of emotional intelligence play an important role in meeting the needs of the new generation of workers. Leaders need to listen more – not only in quantity, but in depth. Psychological safety is an attribute that hasn’t always existed in the workplace but is an expectation and right today.

Employees want to feel connected, they want to understand their purpose and fulfill their potential, and they want to know they matter. The concept of mattering, and its power, was the topic of a podcast a while back with Zach Mercurio which is well worth a listen.

But the thing about these traits is that it isn’t just about being effective at applying these traits – leadership today and moving forward needs to have a very keen understanding of where these traits are most needed in the business.

As leaders determine where AI fits, and what it can and should do, a deep respect for authenticity and the ability to apply emotional intelligence are musts. Without ample respect for where humanity is needed within the business, and in the customer experience, there is massive risk.

More Curiosity & Creativity

Many of today’s leaders have spent decades acquiring skills, mastering experiences, and collecting accolades that – quite frankly – aren’t all relevant today. And that can be a really tough pill to swallow. Some leaders are excited about the opportunity to learn new skills, live new experiences, and collect fresh accolades – but others long for yesteryear.

Leaders who can’t, or won’t, unfurl themselves from the warm embrace of the status quo don’t stand a chance in the next era of service transformation. It requires boundless curiosity – not just about what’s changed or changing, but about what motivates individuals, about how differences create strength, and about the knowledge to be gained from considering new perspective and new possibilities.

Only with this type of curiosity can leaders foster the creativity that today and tomorrow’s landscape requires. Today’s challenges can’t be solved for with yesteryear’s formulas for success; greater creativity is essential. This can be frustrating because it feels like harder work – and it is. There are leaders who will be excited by the work itself, not just the outcome – and those are the leaders best fit for the future.

Temperance and Tenacity

Leadership in the next era of service transformation requires a unique combination of temperance and tenacity. In my recent conversation with Peter George about Alfa Laval’s service innovation, I asked him what he found most challenging.

“I would say what's been most challenging is the pace that we want to move at. Once you’ve identified what it is you need to do, you just want to get on and do it. But you have to allow the organization to move at a pace where it can digest and come along on the service journey,” he said. “It’s not just service on that journey; it’s the whole organization – and taking the time to make sure we get it right can feel challenging.”

There’s tremendous pressure on leaders today to keep pace with change, to move fast, to achieve results – and that pressure can cause a rush that often creates more damage than progress. Temperance is important.

Tenacity is as well, though. This isn’t about being lackadaisical at all, it’s about moving with intention and conviction. To achieve what many set out to achieve in service today takes a lot of grit. It’s being told no multiple times before you get a yes, failing ten times before you finally succeed. Leaders who are up for the task aren’t in it for the glory, but for the outcome – and they’re willing to stay that course.  

The Ability to Challenge

Leadership leading well today – and in the future – is not weak. It’s not afraid to push back when expectations are unrealistic, the time isn’t right, or they disagree with a path. Strong leadership requires a willingness to stand up for what you believe in, go to bat for your teams, and to voice the unpopular opinion.

At our NYC event in June, Natalia Shuman, CEO of MISTRAS Group, shared that when she began with the company, she told the board she needed 90 days before she’d begin discussing financials. Her priority was to get out in the field and spend time listening to customers and employees – only then, she said, could she properly set a strategy.

That’s a wonderful example of setting a boundary – to question the standard or push back on an expectation to instead do what you’re being asked to do in a way you believe is right and necessary.

Expert Curation & Choreography Skills

At some point, a strong leader was the person everyone turned to for the answer. Today, a leader who thinks they have all the answers is a massive liability. Dynamics have evolved in a way where the best leaders understand that their role is to curate and choreograph a variety of talents.

Leadership isn’t about knowing all or being able to do all but rather understanding context and seeing the big picture. Being stellar at listening, aligning, motivating, and rallying.

I remember having lunch with a leader in Copenhagen a couple of years ago who said to me how humbling she’s found leadership in recent years. She retold how she’s found herself having evolved from the go-to person to the conductor of greatness.

Humbling is a great way to put it, and that’s what it takes. Going back to my recent conversation with Kris, we talked a bit about “ego deaths” – and that’s a concept that may fit here. Ego is one trait there’s no room for in leadership today.