Sole24 Ore – It’s Time to Rethink Leadership and CEOs Know It

The upheaval of COVID-19 has caused many CEOs to reach a new level of self-awareness. As a result, most CEOs believe it is now essential to review their leadership style, according to Egon Zehnder research quoted in Italian daily newspaper Il Sole24 Ore.

According to Egon Zehnder research, 78% of 972 managers surveyed worldwide agree on the need to continue their self-transformation process – a figure three times higher than in a 2018 study.  What’s more, leaders are committed to listening to others and seeking feedback from their team, mentors, and advisors. 

“CEOs recognize that today's unprecedented business complexities require significant change in leadership - and that change must begin by looking inward with new levels of self-reflection and personal growth. This means that today's CEO puts teams, organizations and all the different stakeholders at the centre,” the newspaper quoted Jill Ader, global chairwoman at Egon Zehnder as saying. “Now more than ever, traditional business acumen must be equally balanced with empathy and insight to emotionally engage teams and organizations, navigate business complexities and build productive processes and inspiring workplaces.”

Many of the CEOs who participated in the survey were from Italy. “The broad participation of the national community can only please us, all the more so now that Egon Zehnder Italia is celebrating its 50th anniversary,” says Rafaella Mazzoli, office leader.

Elena Delfino: „La svolta dei ceo globali: è tempo di ripensare il concetto di leadership“, in: Sole24 Ore, 16th of September 2021