ET Now GBS 2026: Trust defining leadership in the age of social media
At the summit, Bennett University vice rector Dr. In his conversation with Raj Singh, Guriev, a leading economist, said the current environment is marked by unprecedented levels of uncertainty and complexity, and the onus is on organizations to combine agility with a clear long-term vision.
In the session titled ‘Leadership in the Age of Uncertainty: Skills, Strategy and the Mindset of Tomorrow’s CEO’, he said that in volatile times, leaders must resist the temptation to impose rigid command and control structures and instead define what will remain constant and what can evolve. “The only way to combine agility with a long-term vision is to be honest with your colleagues and explain: this is who we are, this is what we won’t change, and this is what we can change and innovate,” he said, citing London Business School as an example of an institution that is constantly innovating in how and where it teaches while maintaining its academic DNA. The complexity of today’s world, driven by geopolitical shifts, climate change and artificial intelligence, makes it impossible for any leader to do this alone. To have all the answers, leaders must actively seek feedback, especially when it is critical, Guriev said. Leaders must be receptive to bad news, and ignoring it is a dangerous failure. Drawing on his research on authoritarian systems, Guriev said organizations weaken when leaders often block out negative feedback.
“You need to encourage people to bring issues to you as soon as possible; it can be difficult to deal with because of negative information, but that’s the CEO’s job,” he said.
Trust has emerged as a defining quality of leadership in the age of social media and radical transparency. “The world needs bold decisions. Your organization needs decisions because the world is changing,” Guriev said. But he also added that leaders need to be transparent about the risks they are taking and explain the rationale and evidence behind the steps they take.
Both alarmism and false optimism can be dangerous in volatile times, and Guriev warned leaders to distinguish between serious threats and exaggerated rhetoric while also calling for transparency about how to respond.
“When you say something is an existential threat, you create a false alarm,” he said. “Even if the threat is serious, you should also tell people how you’re going to deal with it.” Despite increasing geopolitical fragmentation and the shift from multilateralism to bilateral trade arrangements, Guriev said he maintains a strong belief in globalization. Small countries, in particular, depend on access to large markets to support innovation and research.
“An average country in the world has six million people. You cannot invest in breakthrough innovation if your market is so small,” he said, adding that global institutions such as London Business School play a critical role in keeping international collaboration alive. Guriev also praised India’s recent trade agreements, stating that they have benefited not only India but also smaller European economies seeking access to larger markets.
AI is expected to automate much of learning and move more content online, so universities need to focus on things that cannot be digitized. “What cannot be automated is the sharing of human connections, sharing of insights, networking, and bringing faculty and senior practitioners active in research into the classroom,” he said.
He added that experiential learning will become central, citing London Business School’s model of sending students on global excursions. “Anything that cannot be digitized and automated will continue to be the core product of educational institutions.”
In a dynamic and disruptive global environment, Guriev’s message to leaders was clear: Listen more, communicate honestly and transparently, make bold decisions, and base change on trust.
