In periods of profound transition, the leaders who endure are the ones who stay genuinely curious — especially about themselves and their own decisions. What I’ve seen again and again is that titles and paychecks can create a dangerous illusion of certainty; the questions stop coming because everyone is now asking them. The best leaders never stop asking. They interrogate their own assumptions, incentives, and blind spots. They treat dissent as data, not disloyalty. And that’s why they don’t miss the disruption when others do.

It’s more important than ever for leaders to be communicators-in-chief: setting the vision for their company, the roadmap for how to achieve it, and the inspiration to get there. I think the “winners” will be those who lead with empathy and authenticity, take bad news as well as good, deepen their relationships with customers, and approach AI as a catalyst for driving value rather than an end in itself. In my experience, great leaders have a sense of mission that goes beyond their bottom line. They want to learn, connect, and clarify what really matters.

The AI investment boom has created an unprecedented opportunity for growth and returns. It has also created a historic test of whether leaders can turn a technology cycle into something that actually strengthens the real world it depends on. Long-term leadership requires critical thinking on how to marry AI-generated returns with considerations of social impact. In 2026, that dynamic will come to the fore. That tension is already visible as consumers pay more for electricity and communities push back on data centers. Those pressures won’t fade; they’ll compound. It’s easy to frame this purely as a moral obligation, but addressing the social dimensions of AI is also essential for creating a durable business. This will remain particularly challenging for climate. Growing energy demand will continue to drive a reassessment of the urgency of climate targets. But doing the hard work to invest in low-carbon energy will be rewarded whenever the political pendulum swings.

We have been studying exceptional leaders who leverage emerging technologies to build profitable enterprises as well as address societal challenges. These leaders know how to build the social fabric for innovation. They invite others to cocreate—collaborate, experiment, and learn—the future with them. They help others move through the conflicts and risks associated with creating anything new. They are explorers who rely on a sense of shared purpose and values to illuminate the way forward. 

The future is by definition unknown.  We need leaders to be “wayfinders” who can embrace uncertainty, adapt to change, and help us discover new destinations.

Leadership in the modern era requires confronting the reality that change, uncertainty, and turbulence will continue to dominate the environment in which one must navigate. The good news is that we possess—or can develop—the necessary skills to operate under these conditions. First among them is stamina, or the ability to withstand immense pressure, requiring intellectual and physical presence for a sustained period. Second, scanning and preparing for emerging risks allows us to anticipate and mitigate what would otherwise be unexpected challenges. Lastly, today’s leadership requires a humanity that fosters trust and humility in oneself and in others.

Historically, great business leaders built careers on management expertise in finance, operations, or marketing. Today, with 37% of public company market capitalization concentrated in the “Mag 7” tech giants, technological fluency has also become essential to leadership. That kind of functional expertise is now table stakes. The public, across political parties, eagerly wants CEOs to engage in public policy and help solve economic and social issues. Our research finds that five character traits now distinguish great leaders: personal dynamism, empathy, dissatisfaction with the status quo, moral credibility, and prudent courage. These qualities are sure to be tested and revealed as a more cautious generation rises to the C-suite and prominent business groups retreat from bold collective action.

While “transformation” is a popular mandate, most large-scale efforts fail. The defining trait of enduring leaders is diagnosing “drift”—the silent, creeping misalignment between an organization’s internal operations and external reality. Great leaders differentiate themselves by recognizing when trends shift from a theoretical “if” to an inevitable “when.” Then, rather than waiting for a crisis to force a risky overhaul, they ensure longevity by continuously honing how they operate. By making realignment a routine practice, they immunize their organizations against the need for drastic transformations, ensuring they remain relevant in an ever-changing world.