Most CEOs for continuing self-transformation to cope in current business environment, says study

Amidst heightened demands for workplace equality and new pressures around hybrid work continuing to shape business culture, a global study has revealed that 78 per cent of CEOs interviewed, including in India, strongly believe that they need to continue their self-transformation. The most striking finding is that over 78 per cent CEOs interviewed agreed that leaders need the capacity to transform as well the organisation they work for, according to a global study by leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder.

"CEOs recognise that today's unprecedented business complexities require a significant shift in leadership - and that change must begin by looking inward with new levels of self-reflection and personal development. This isn't self-indulgent it's what our teams, organisations and stakeholders expect of our CEOs," Egon Zehnder global chairwoman Jill Ader said.

Now traditional business acumen must be equally balanced with empathy and compassion in order to gain the teams' and organisations' emotional commitment, navigate business complexities and build productive, inspiring workplaces, she opined.


The study is result of a survey among 1,000 global CEOs in 15 countries, including over 100 business leaders in India, across sectors.

It further revealed that navigating through these complex environments demand the CEOs to increase their personal capacity to be adaptive, relational and self-aware.

Especially today, these capacities need to be increasingly balanced with traditional leadership strengths, strategic planning and a relentless performance orientation.

Mastering these skills requires leaders to increase their capacity to listen, trust in a broader network of stakeholders and communicate more authentically than ever before, the study added.

Meanwhile, 83 per cent of leaders found it essential to reflect on their own leadership style, according to the study.

CEOs are expanding their ability to be adaptive, relational, and self-aware, are committed to listening to diverse perspectives and are increasingly seeking feedback from new places - including team members, chairs, mentors, consultants, and other CEOs, it stated.

In addition, women CEOs are more likely to gather feedback from a wide range of sources - and are more likely than male counterparts to seek guidance from fellow CEOs, mentors and family members, it added.