08/28/2025

Four Traits of Forward-looking CEOs

A fresh generation of CEOs is embracing the tenets of adaptive leadership

A profound shift is underway in global leadership. Organizations are confronting technological disruption, geopolitical risk, climate urgency and rapidly evolving social expectations. It’s clear that the leadership models of the past — built on hierarchy, control and confidence about how the future will unfold — are no longer fit for purpose.

I've both watched the development of leaders and been actively involved in leadership development for decades. I can see a new generation of leaders beginning to emerge whose pathways, mindsets and practices reflect the complexity of our time. They tend to have grown up professionally in cross-cultural, cross-sectoral environments. Their paths to top leadership come from a broad variety of disciplines. They have developed empathy not as a soft add-on but as a strategic asset. And they are comfortable with ambiguity, capable of toggling between short-term delivery and long-term value creation.

I’ve been thinking of these skills as adaptive leadership, and I’ve explored what this means in a report and a series of videos through my consultancy, HSM Advisory.

Please select this link to read the complete article from MIT Sloan Management Review.