The world has transformed over the last century to become unbelievably different. The next generation (next-gen) is upon us and we are living in a future that was once a distant dream and perhaps an impossibility. The leaders of today, who will manage the reigns of tomorrow, will need to up their game. The ‘next-gen’ leaders are the start-up leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovative thought leaders who are bringing a digital revolution with their ingenuity. The ‘next-gen’ leaders have several key factors that make them different. They are resourceful and utilize the available resources to achieve their goals. They do not wait for the right time to begin pursuing their goals but consider their present moment as the best time to initiate their plans. They are also time managers. They multitask and achieve a balance between working on different projects at the same time. When talking about individuality, the ‘next-gen’ leaders are always brainstorming about their present and the future. They are always actively thinking about their plans and ensuring they are completed on time. The ‘next-gen’ leaders have several key factors that make them different. They are resourceful and utilize the available resources to achieve their goals. They do not wait for the right time to begin pursuing their goals but consider their present moment as the best time to initiate their plans. The ‘next-gen’ leaders are also curious. They have an innate quality to remain on top of their research game. They read books and go through online resources to acquire information and process it into wisdom. They also learn from their experience. They combine their experience with the insights from others’ experiences and develop a way to success. The ‘next-gen’ leaders are also adaptable. They do not conform to a tried and tested environment. Instead, they try to blend in with their environment and change their attitude and behaviour according to the people and circumstances that they come across. When it comes to the environment, there are two main ones: physical and virtual. The physical environment is where we all have to live. We spend more time interacting with our stakeholders in the virtual environment. Communication, therefore, is the key when it comes to handling people in these environments. In the physical environment, the ‘next-gen’ leader has to be a public speaker, a people person, and an effective negotiator. In the virtual world, the same leader needs to exhibit immaculate skills through online communication including e-mails and preparing relevant documents. Perhaps the most notable and effective features of ‘next-gen’ leaders are relevancy and consistency. They need to remain relevant to their industry and profession by accentuating their mental prowess. This is done by continuously enhancing their skills and knowledge. They also need to remain consistent. This is done through persistently following their goals and ambitions every day. To achieve goals, one needs to be resilient. The ‘next-gen’ leader has to be tough during testing and challenging times. They have to show discipline when meeting deadlines and need to remain mentally and emotionally strong when facing setbacks. The ‘next-gen’ leader is also equipped with the acumen to know how much to work and when to relax. They lead a balanced lifestyle where they ensure giving time to themselves and their families over the weekends. The writer is a fiction writer and columnist. He can be reached at omariftikhar@hotmail.com and tweets at @omariftikhar