Egon Zehnder Study Finds New Leadership Paradigm

December 9, 2013 – Executives navigating today’s complex business landscape no longer can rely on past experience to drive future performance success, according to a global study released by Egon Zehnder. The study of more than 800 executives from around the world found that a new leadership paradigm is emerging that shifts away from what leaders know and toward a more personal evaluation of who they are. Eighty-seven percent of executives said companies will need to think outside the box and be more creative, daring and innovative in their approaches to developing and retaining top executives in the future. Seventy-eight percent of executives said past performance is no longer the best predictor of success in a new role and 87 percent noted that strong inter-personal traits are a key differentiator when identifying a truly exceptional leader. “The financial crisis accelerated a collapse of trust in business leadership, which demands fresh thinking about what is needed from the next generation,” said Damien O’Brien, CEO of Egon Zehnder. “Leaders today must win the hearts and minds of employees and this requires a different type of leadership.”