Introduction
Introduction
CEOs are recalibrating their skill sets. Performance and profitability, once central to assuming the CEO role, are no longer sufficient.
Instead, risk-taking, leadership skills, and interpersonal abilities are becoming crucial. Today’s CEO acts decisively, is willing to take risks, is courageous, and is empathetic. This shift comes as no surprise, given that the corporate world has been completely upended. Digitalization, decentralized global production, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence are reshaping entire business models. Navigating this environment demands agility, especially as the geopolitical landscape changes daily.
It is becoming clear that traditional industry experience is losing importance in favor of transferable leadership skills. Success in the CEO role is not determined by a linear career path, but by the ability to grow into the role. The static role profile is giving way to a flexible journey profile. Egon Zehnder surveyed 36 CEOs and 46 supervisory board chairs from DAX, MDAX, and SDAX-listed companies.
We set out to explore several questions: What concerns Germany’s CEOs? How do they view the disruptions of our time? What do they prioritize to fulfill their roles? How important are good leadership and sustainability to them? And finally: What competencies and skills do leaders need in this role?
The following four observations highlight the competencies CEOs and chairs consider crucial for leadership amid disruption, and point to concrete starting points for top teams looking to rebalance performance, impact, and future viability.
About Egon Zehnder
About Egon Zehnder
Founded in Switzerland, Egon Zehnder helps the top leaders of organizations around the world solve their most strategic and transformative leadership challenges. Our team of 600+ consultants across 71 offices in 37 countries bring hands-on industry experience and collaborative spirit to every client to help them discover, develop and transform their current and future leadership.
We believe that together we can transform people, organizations and the world through leadership. For more information, visit www.egonzehnder.com und LinkedIn.
