SPJIMR white paper reimagines leadership for a complex world

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), through its Centre for Wisdom in Leadership (CWIL), has released a new white paper titled ‘Wisdom at the Helm: Redefining Leadership for a Complex World’. Authored by Surya Tahora, Professor of Organisational and Leadership Studies and Executive Director, CWIL, and Tanvi Mankodi, Assistant Professor of Organisational and Leadership Studies, the paper calls for a paradigm shift in leadership development  from performance-focused management to wisdom-based leadership grounded in ethics, reflection, and compassion. The full white paper is available here: Wisdom at the Helm: Redefining Leadership for a Complex World

The white paper explores the growing inadequacy of traditional leadership models such as authentic, servant, transformational, and responsible leadership in addressing the multi-dimensional challenges of today’s workplaces. From technological disruption and sustainability imperatives to widening inequalities and the ethical governance of artificial intelligence (AI), leaders now operate in a world defined by volatility, paradox, and moral complexity.

“Leadership today demands more than vision and agility; it demands wisdom  the ability to harmonise performance with purpose, innovation with integrity, and human values with technological progress. Embedding wisdom into leadership is not a soft ideal — it’s a strategic necessity. As workplaces become more complex and AI redefines how decisions are made, wisdom provides the compass leaders need to stay human-centred and purpose-driven,” notes Prof. Tahora.

The paper identifies critical gaps in contemporary leadership frameworks, arguing that while many offer valuable insights, few integrate ethical responsibility, self-awareness, reflective judgment, and compassionate action in a unified way. CWIL’s research underscores the need for leaders who can navigate “wicked problems” complex, interdependent challenges such as climate change, AI governance, and social inequities through a combination of analytical rigour and reflective wisdom.

A key focus of the paper is the ethical integration of AI in organisational decision-making. It recommends establishing AI ethics boards, reflective AI-supported decision systems, and roles dedicated to overseeing responsible AI use, ensuring technology enhances rather than erodes human judgment and empathy.

To build wisdom-based leadership, the paper suggests actionable strategies such as:

·         Embedding ethical decision-making scenarios into leadership programmes

·         Promoting reflective practices like journaling, coaching, and peer learning

·         Leveraging AI-driven tools for ethical deliberation and reflection

·         Encouraging humility, adaptability, and purpose-driven leadership

·         Fostering organisational cultures grounded in wisdom-oriented values

According to the authors, wisdom-based leadership is essential for aligning short-term performance with long-term societal and organisational sustainability. As SPJIMR continues to champion the idea of wise innovation, CWIL’s work reinforces the institute’s mission to shape leaders who can think deeply, act ethically, and lead with empathy in an increasingly unpredictable world.