From geopolitical instability to rapid technological change, today’s CEOs must navigate countless challenges. But growth remains a constant area of focus, even in the face of external volatility.
It’s the main priority for leaders across all ownership types, according to Eton Bridge Partners’ inaugural Board & CEO Insights Report, which examines how senior leaders are responding to an increasingly complex business landscape and what this means for the CEO role.
“It’s reassuring to see that, despite ongoing uncertainty, business leaders are still strongly focused on this core objective,” the report notes. “The commitment to expansion speaks to a sense of resilience and ambition that continues to shape today’s executive agenda.”
Over 100 UK CEOs, chairs and non-executive directors from the Eton Bridge Partners’ network were surveyed for the report. And in a world defined by constant flux, one quality stood out above all for achieving growth: resilience.
Resilient leaders must have the ability to maintain focus and pace in testing times
Between 34% and 42% of respondents across both executive and non-executive roles identified resilience as the non-negotiable characteristic for CEOs. The fact that it was consistently cited across listed companies, PE-backed firms and privately owned businesses also highlights that boards across all ownership types increasingly value it in their CEOs. As economic uncertainty was a top concern across all ownership types too, this strong focus on resilience is understandable.
“In successful organisations, resilience is embedded in the operating model in a structured and systemic way, as well as being a key leadership characteristic,” says Paul Eastwood, partner in executive search, CEO and board practices at Eton Bridge Partners and author of the report. “Organisations that have resilience as a core and continuous theme allow it to influence strategic and operational choices and invariably have more robust approaches to agendas such as business continuity, reputation management and financial stability.”
Courage, curiosity and empathy
So what are the key characteristics that define a resilient leader today? The report notes: “The ability to maintain focus and pace in testing times, and to adapt and pivot in a calm and well-communicated way are amongst the behaviours that are now absolutely non-negotiable.”
Leading CEOs also look to foster a calm, reassuring organisational culture that gives employees breathing space from the demands of the outside world, enabling them to focus and do their best work even during periods of external volatility. The report adds that resilience is also “more powerful in organisations where trust is high and collaboration and communication are valued, as resilience comes more naturally in those situations and from leadership teams that have fostered that cultural norm.”
While this applies across all business types, there are, however, subtle differences in terms of the complimentary traits valued in CEOs of listed, PE-backed and privately owned businesses.
In listed companies, for example, courage emerges as an important trait, highlighted by 34% of respondents – somewhat higher than the 16% in PE-backed firms and 18% in privately owned businesses. While all business types value a blend of complementary traits, there are subtle differences in emphasis depending on ownership structure.
“We see this as being influenced by the disclosure requirements and the level of public scrutiny that comes with being a listed company,” Eastwood explains.
Leaders of PE-backed companies, which often have accelerated growth targets and shorter success cycles, are also under scrutiny. The report found that leaders in PE are adapting to a reshaped definition of value, with a broader set of stakeholder considerations now of increasing relevance.
As with firms across other ownership structures, resilience also sits alongside a broad range of complimentary traits, including courage, empathy, opportunism and transparency.
“Curiosity also emerges as a shared priority in privately owned and PE-backed businesses, each at 16%, and it is notably higher among non-executives,” the report notes. “In environments where agility is key, leaders who remain open, ask better questions and engage with what they don’t yet know are more likely to drive meaningful progress.”
Interestingly, non-executives also tend to value curiosity and empathy more than executives, with the report defining curiosity in a business context as the “insatiable appetite to be interested in all opportunities for the organisation.” The findings indicate that CEOs with “low ego and high humility” are in demand, as these can be “really powerful” complementary traits to resilience.
Personal resilience routines
To ensure organisational sustainability, CEOs across all ownership types need to have a deep commitment to personal sustainability. “Many CEOs I’ve spoken to have fairly strong routines around mental, physical and emotional health, and creating time out as well as time in,” says Eastwood. “Resilience isn’t about doing more. It’s actually about creating the brain space and diary space to be able to step in with a fresh mind when unplanned scenarios occur.”
The most successful leaders demonstrate a personal ability to look around corners and anticipate headwinds
Along with developing a healthy approach to resilience, leaders also need to demonstrate a more accessible and hands-on style. Indeed, there’s an increasing expectation for a CEO to be more directly involved in day-to-day operations, decisions and ‘rhythm’ of the organisation. “One of the characteristics that people look for is that ability to effectively glide between a strategic viewpoint and execution,” the report notes.
Many of the best CEOs engage in continuous conversation both internally and with external stakeholders too, often including the savvy use of social media. This helps to create a sense of confidence that supports long-term resilience.
The most successful leaders will embed resilience across people, processes, systems and structures, creating rhythms that not only withstand disruption but also enable sustainable growth. They demonstrate a personal ability to look around corners, anticipate headwinds, and spot opportunities, keeping their organisations one step ahead in an increasingly volatile world.
As the business landscape continues to evolve, the role of the CEO will only grow more demanding and more human. Resilience, once seen as a personal trait, is now a strategic foundation for long-term growth. Tomorrow’s most effective leaders will unite strategic foresight with emotional intelligence, balancing risk with opportunity to navigate complexity and lead with lasting impact.
From geopolitical instability to rapid technological change, today’s CEOs must navigate countless challenges. But growth remains a constant area of focus, even in the face of external volatility.
It’s the main priority for leaders across all ownership types, according to Eton Bridge Partners’ inaugural Board & CEO Insights Report, which examines how senior leaders are responding to an increasingly complex business landscape and what this means for the CEO role.
“It’s reassuring to see that, despite ongoing uncertainty, business leaders are still strongly focused on this core objective,” the report notes. “The commitment to expansion speaks to a sense of resilience and ambition that continues to shape today’s executive agenda.”
