Who is your favourite Gladiator?

Val Wilson reflects on some key shifts that have occurred in leadership styles, and how these changes are creating new opportunities for female leaders.

Who is your favourite Gladiator? This question sparks conversations across generations. Whether your answer is Jet, Lightning, Hunter, or the newer stars like Apollo, Saber, or Fury, everyone has a favourite Gladiator from the eponymous TV entertainment show. I’ve asked this question to several people recently, and it always leads to lively discussion. Some immediately reminisce about the original 90s Gladiators, recalling the excitement of Saturday nights. Others, too young to remember the original lineup, are just as passionate about the 2025 reboot. No-one can deny though that this show has lasted the test of time.

Leadership styles: then and now

Another topic that fuels great discussion is how leadership has evolved over the years. This was a key theme at itSMF UK’s International Women’s Day event, Women in ITSM, at Center Parcs in March. The transformation in leadership styles over the decades has been both significant and necessary.

Having led teams for the last 24 years in a FTSE 100 tech firm, I’ve seen these changes first-hand. Expectations from employees, customers, and society have shifted dramatically. Today, the most successful leaders create environments where teams feel safe, empowered, and valued. The result? Stronger engagement, higher performance, and ultimately, more successful businesses.

Key shifts in leadership

Leadership today looks very different from the past. We’ve seen several significant changes:

• From command and control to servant and transformational leadership
• From top-down authority to collaborative, data-driven decision-making
• From one-way communication to psychological safety and open dialogue
• From limited emotional intelligence to empathetic, authentic leadership
• From IT department -led digital rollouts to leadership digital transformation
• From reactive crisis management to proactive, resilient strategies.

This shift has redefined what we expect from leaders in 2025. To me, it can be summed up by leading through G.R.A.C.E.—leaders who are Genuine, Resilient, Adaptive, Collaborative, and Empathetic.

These qualities, in my opinion, are often more naturally found in female leaders. That’s not to say that men don’t possess these traits or that all women do. However, research suggests these skills tend to be more prevalent in women. For years, leaders were encouraged to suppress traits like empathy and emotional intelligence; yet today, these are the very qualities that modern leadership courses emphasise as essential for building high-performing teams.

Val addresses other ITSM leaders at ‘Women in ITSM’.

Now more than ever, employees expect these qualities in their leaders. Studies show that a person’s manager is the single biggest influence on their performance and workplace experience. So maybe you are reading this today as a leader or indeed a member of a team: focus on improving and leaning into the above skills and create a team environment where people and businesses will thrive. Leading through GRACE.

Unlike the BBC’s Gladiators, which has stood the test of time with its familiar format, leadership in tech has had to evolve. It has shifted to align with modern values, prioritising trust, relatability, and authenticity. Today’s employees don’t just want a leader—they want someone they can follow with confidence.

So, who is my favourite Gladiator then? The hilarious Legend.