Leadership

Everything Everywhere All At Once

As the deluge of disruptions keeps coming, boards are wondering if a new type of leader is needed.

Four Skills CEOs Need Today to Handle Unprecedented Volatility

It was early June, and the board for a large energy company was interviewing a well-respected leader to fill the CEO slot. Then the bombings in Iran began. Asked how he would handle this latest disruption, the candidate sidestepped the question. With everything else the firm had going on—from tariff-induced supply-chain issues to volatile market swings to low employee engagement—he was unsure of how to respond.

CEOs have long been trained to handle disruptions. Many remained quite poised when handling the COVID-19 pandemic and, before that, the financial crisis of 2008. But experts say that the onslaught of so many major disruptions at once—including some so-called black swan events—has rattled even the most battle-tested chiefs, not to mention potential CEOs. The result: directors are realizing they may need a new breed of leader to meet today’s challenges. “The board wants people who know how to react to disruption and stay calm,” says Tierney Remick, vice chairman and co-leader of Korn Ferry’s Board and CEO Services practice. “Crisis leadership is now the norm.”

While there are plenty of leaders who’ve dealt with crises before, experts say the speed and breadth of today’s disruptions make it difficult for CEOs to prioritize—to determine what to deal with first. What’s more, the always-online mentality of companies and their leaders makes nuanced communication difficult. CEOs who don’t hold back often get skewered for how they’re handling disruption, while those who stay silent earn the ire of employees and external stakeholders, who may suspect the company is hiding something. To navigate the “everything everywhere all at once” era, here are four areas in which CEOs need to excel.

1 Temperament

Even the most unflappable CEO these days is reaching their limits, their brain overrun by issues related to tariffs, wars, supply-chain issues and employee morale. It’s no wonder, experts say, that leaders’ energy is diminished, and, in some cases, that a feeling of hopelessness has crept into their demeanors—leading to more irritable or brusque interactions.

To alleviate the pressure, experts say, CEOs can confide in mentors, coaches, and therapists. They should ensure they have an outlet to vent, and they should walk away and take a brief break, if possible, when they feel they’re about to erupt. It’s also critical for them to delegate as many tasks as possible, so that they aren’t inundated with decision-making. “We often forget that CEOs are humans too,” says Lesley Uren, chief executive officer of Korn Ferry Consulting.

2 People Management

When a crisis hits, leaders often try to shield their people from disruption, urging teams to operate as if it’s business as usual—which typically results in a loss of productivity due to rumor-mongering and job-security concerns. Or, as a forthcoming Korn Ferry CEO and board survey shows, leaders deprioritize employee engagement and emotional intelligence.

Neither approach is the best path to take. Instead, experts say CEOs should communicate early, and in as much detail as possible, to help alleviate the concerns of employees and external stakeholders about the disruption’s effects on the company. "Now isn't the time to neglect your people," says Elise Schroeter, global head, organization & talent strategies in Korn Ferry’s Board and CEO Services practice. Providing information to people helps alleviate doom thinking, and can also spark motivation—particularly if leaders give employees a way to help solve some of the problems created by disruption.

3 Supply Chains

Ask any CEO from the early aughts how many times they had to talk about supply chain issues in the boardroom: They’ll likely be able to count them on one hand. But today, with tariffs and wars bringing geopolitical volatility to the forefront of corporate agendas, supply chains are front and center—forcing CEOs to take crash courses in the complexities of parts and products. “The board and top management are prioritizing supply chains differently than normal,” says Jane Edison Stevenson, global vice chair of Korn Ferry’s CEO and Board Services practice. “They need to know what’s going on and feel good about the plan.”

To alleviate supply chain pressures, experts recommend that CEOs take contingency planning to the next level by mapping out what continuous disruption looks like. For some companies, that may mean building up more inventory or sourcing parts from a different country; for others it may require scaling back on Black Friday deals to ensure they’re getting top dollar for products.

4 Politics

For the past few years, CEOs have been grappling with when, where, and how to comment on political affairs. In a survey from software provider Benevity, 52 percent of companies said their CEO would be less vocal in 2025 than in previous years. But since politics has entered the boardroom and the C-suite, that approach is increasingly tricky to adhere to. “Politics is in the workplace everywhere these days,” says Kate Shattuck, managing partner at Korn Ferry. “It’s hard to avoid it.”

While leaders can’t avoid the topic altogether, they can limit political discussion to issues directly affecting their company or sector, experts say. Aside from that, it’s best to stay mum.