A DEFINING MOMENT FOR LEADERSHIP:
WHAT THE 2020 CEO STUDY REVEALED ABOUT LEADING THROUGH EXTREME UNCERTAINTY

Developed during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, the 2020 Leaders on Purpose CEO Study provides rare real-time insight into how global executives adapted strategy at speed, redesigned ways of working, and built organizational resilience under unprecedented constraints. As global systems were strained to their limits, this study captured how pioneering leaders responded — not with incremental adjustments, but with accelerated innovation, bold decision-making, and a shift toward coherent, long-term strategic positioning.

The findings reveal a pivotal shift: leaders who embraced systems thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term value creation were not only better equipped to navigate disruption — they emerged stronger. This edition marks the moment when resilience, agility, and ecosystem-level leadership transitioned from advantageous to essential.