Why now? The forces driving the shift in Business leadership models
There's an interesting conversation happening right now in tech, and it’s a general questioning of existing approaches to leadership style, organizational structure, and whether business leaders are falling behind somehow in the face of the changing landscape.
Particularly, the 'Founder Mode' defended by Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky and NVIDIA's Jensen Huang's particular leadership style have caught the public's attention. We could make comparisons, but I think a more interesting and rich discussion would be: why is this discussion happening right now?
Jensen Huang. Photo: Getty Images
I think the fact that alternative leadership styles are being highlighted at this specific moment is not just coincidental; it’s reflective of broader shifts in how companies operate, the demands of new technologies, and how people work together in the post-pandemic world. At its core, this leadership discussion points to the fact that traditional management models alone might no longer fit the current reality, so leaders are experimenting with new ways to structure companies for the future.
Let's look at some overlapping aspects that might be driving this current conversation, especially among the tech community.
The rise of AI, automation, and complexity
In the context of AI, automation at scale, and complex technology integrations, managing a company, be it Nvidia or Airbnb, is not the same as managing traditional businesses of the past. Rapid adaptation, decentralized decision-making, and teams of specialists who need the freedom to innovate are table stakes in this context, and all of this needs to happen without the dreaded micromanagement.
Jensen Huang’s flat, transparent structure might be a direct response to this complexity. The speed of AI development, the massive scale of Nvidia’s operations, and specific traits of a deep tech company make it impossible or at least very hard for one person to have their hand in every detail. Huang proposes a shift towards systems thinking, where leaders create structures that allow quick, data-driven decisions across the organization. This decentralization has only become more necessary as industries driven by AI usually move faster than traditional hierarchical structures.
This also speaks to a larger phenomenon: the blurring of boundaries between leadership and technology itself.
As companies build tools that decentralize information and automate decision-making (like AI), leadership models that do the same are becoming more relevant. We’re seeing a reflection of technological decentralization in leadership practices. We can expect to see more of this, or at least new variations of it, if current trends continue.
Keep in mind, though, that this contemplation of new models is not going to be limited to core tech companies, as we have been seeing that AI is spreading through many different sectors, including non-tech businesses.
Post-pandemic shifts in work culture
On some level, the pandemic transformed how people work, and this has had a ripple effect on leadership. Remote/hybrid work have exposed some limitations of traditional, more hierarchical management models, where bottlenecks in communication and decision-making are not uncommon. The need for speed and flexibility in how teams work remotely has highlighted the inefficiencies in top-down management. Chesky and Huang, however different in their methods, tried to find ways to adapt to this emergent reality. Their attempts at something different feel timely and relevant.
Chesky’s continued hands-on involvement in Airbnb during a time when company culture risks being diluted—for instance, but not only, by remote work—is about connection and cultural cohesion. In contrast, Huang’s group feedback sessions eliminate the need for constant one-on-ones, which may have been fine in a pre-remote world but now can feel outdated and impractical with teams spread across geographies.
This trend reflects a broader move toward trust and autonomy in leadership, building systems of accountability rather than micromanaging every detail.
The disillusionment with traditional corporate leadership
We’re also witnessing some level of disillusionment with traditional corporate leadership models, and this has been happening for a while now. Think employee turnover, the Great Resignation, demand for transparency and corporate social responsibility, the emergence of agile and flat organizational structures, or the success of non-traditional startups that challenge those traditional models.
The playbook that worked in the early 2000s (top-down hierarchies, rigid managerial oversight, and long-term planning cycles) feels outdated to a lot of people in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape. Leaders like Chesky and Huang pushing back against these older models might be the reason why they are gaining attention now. Of course, there are flaws and limits of application and practicality to their own frameworks. But the point is to look at the broader trend of adaptation and experimentation, not focus specifically on a false dichotomy between these two approaches, which are just a sample of many possible conceivable leadership/management models.
Airbnb’s Spacious New Office In Dublin. Photography by Donal Murphy
It's not only about responding to market changes or technology shifts but also about expectations from employees and teams. Today’s workforce expects more transparency, flexibility, and ownership in their roles. The traditional corporate structures might feel out of touch to the new generation of employees. Huang's transparency and group feedback, or Chesky's intimate involvement with his company’s mission, reflect a broader cultural shift toward more fluid and adaptable leadership.
Leadership as a strategic differentiator
It’s notable that today’s leadership models have become key strategic differentiators. Note how technology companies, in particular, seem to have recognized that leadership style affects everything from market perception to innovation to employee retention. Investors, too, are starting to focus on how companies are structured and led because this impacts long-term success.
New technologies can quickly become commodities—we see this every day—so how a company is led becomes part of its value proposition. For instance, Airbnb’s strong brand identity and exceptional customer experience are largely due to Chesky’s hands-on involvement. We might say it can even bring a competitive edge to the company.
The broader trend: rethinking leadership for a new context
Ultimately, the discussion around leadership models today isn’t just about highlighting different methods. To look at it through that lens would be naive. For me, it is about recognizing that the rules of leadership are changing. Chesky and Huang are just points of reference for a larger shift in how we think about running organizations, especially in tech.
The rise of alternative leadership models signals that traditional hierarchies are struggling to keep up with the demands of modern businesses, and that leaders today might need to experiment with new structures and methods that reflect the complexities of our times. As the tech world becomes more complex and fluid, leadership itself has to evolve, and that’s what I think is at the heart of current discussions.
The real takeaway isn’t that there are multiple ways to manage—everyone knows that—but that leadership is fundamentally changing to meet the demands of a new era. Focusing on which model is better is missing the point. Recognizing the signs of change in the concept of leadership as a response to our times is the important takeaway here.
