Essentials: The C-Suite—and Manager—Squeeze

The biggest leadership story this year had to do less with the C-suite than with the managers reporting to it. Firm after firm targeted managers, whether through cutbacks or by directing them to take on a bigger workload. Indeed, some organizations wiped out entire layers of management, leaving bosses with far fewer direct reports. Meanwhile, the top of the house was hit with so many tech and global disruptions that boards had to rebrand the type of leader they were seeking, leading a record number of CEOs to exit and many others to adopt new approaches. Some have remained, as a Briefings magazine cover story put it, “dazed and confused.”

In this Essentials, Korn Ferry looks at the pressures leaders and managers are enduring, and how they can potentially navigate them. 

Dazed and Confused

With so many crises now happening at once, is a new breed of leadership needed?

A Full House of Direct Reports

Some companies now have managers handling at least 20 direct reports. As firms seek to flatten their org charts, are they overburdening bosses?

The Other Turnover in the C-Suite

It’s become a game of musical chairs—but the board doesn’t seem to mind.

Are ‘Rank and Yank’ Performance Reviews Making a Comeback?

Some Silicon Valley firms have turned to a controversial performance-review system that rewards or removes workers based on rankings. Will other firms follow suit?

Is ‘Caring’ for Workers Taking a Back Seat?

A new Korn Ferry survey finds CEOs and directors are deprioritizing skills like emotional intelligence and driving engagement. Why finding AI skills has become so urgent.

Click out all the stories in The 2025 Essentials.