The news headlines tell of slowdown, uncertainty & disengagement. Yet, when we talk to leaders we hear quiet ambition, confidence & determination. Which of these two alternative realities best reflect your reality? As part of our most exciting research project yet, we want to find out.
The end of the pandemic should have been the start of a new era – one of hope and optimism. After what everybody had been through (the stay-at-home orders, the mask mandates and the travel bans, etc.) the future could only be bright.
However, any post pandemic business optimism was short-lived. It was steadily eroded by news of war, inflation, interest rates, falling productivity, mass layoffs and even a crisis of engagement. The headlines packed a punch, for example:
- Productivity falls to its lowest level since 1947
- Inflation reaches a 10-year high
- The FED announces its sixth interest rate hike
- Quiet quitting accounts for over 50% of the workforce.
True or not, such attention-grabbing headlines were difficult to avoid.
But how closely do the headlines reflect the reality as seen by leaders ‘in the trenches’? Moreover, what exactly has been the impact of the continuous cycle of downbeat news on the mood and outlook of business leaders?
The news headlines tell of slowing growth, market uncertainty & employee disengagement. Yet, when you talk to business leaders you will hear something different.
We have been asking business leaders how their growth expectations have changed, how their organizations have adapted and what the key lessons have been. Here is what we discovered: There is an alternative reality to that of the internet headlines. It is of quiet confidence, ambition and steely determination.
While there is a recognition of the challenges of the present more constrained environment, we are not hearing resignation or gloom, and certainly not panic or despair.
So far, our research goes against the new headlines. The majority of leaders are taking the present uncertainty in their stride. They are adjusting well to the present uncertainty and preparing for a future that is likely to be even more disruptive than today. The factors that saw them through the pandemic – determination, confidence and ambition – are still very much in evidence.
The strategies and solutions they are adopting are the subject of our research. In particular, how they seek to balance the requirements of today’s performance with tomorrow’s transformation.
It is this alternative reality that we want to bring to the fore in our latest and most exciting research project. This is the story that, with your help, we want to tell.
We need your help to ensure that the narrative better reflects your reality. How successfully has your organization adapted to the new market reality? Moreover, what is your level of ambition regarding the future? If you are a senior leader, we would love to hear your perspective.