Leadership priorities must take a new shape next year as senior management confronts shifting competitive and internal pressures, according to a forecast by global consulting firm BlessingWhite. 

Tom Barry, managing director at BlessingWhite Europe, says: “Leadership increasingly requires balancing business competence and personal connection. Senior executives have to build an authentic bond with their employees, customers and other stakeholders which is a daunting challenge for most leaders.

“Employee engagement will demand the attention of senior management as never before. We’ll see an effort to rid organisations of ‘subversives,’ the few alienated employees who are ‘extremely dissatisfied’ in their positions, who are so disengaged undermine productivity by dragging down everyone around them. They’re a threat to the bottom line.”

BlessingWhite says business leaders will focus on inspiring all generations, on retention, driving productivity through engagement, and connecting individual contribution to strategy.