Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series examining generative AI and its continuing impact on the business world.
Generative AI (Gen AI) is fundamentally transforming industries, reshaping how AI is changing human work — from the way professionals innovate to how they create and solve problems. These systems — capable of generating text, images, music and complex solutions — are not just tools. They are catalysts for a paradigm shift in professional and creative landscapes.
For business leaders, this raises urgent questions: How is AI changing human work? And how do we define human value in a world increasingly driven by Gen AI? As automation anxiety spreads, professionals worry that their skills may become obsolete.
Gen AI is revolutionizing industries, redefining how professionals create, collaborate and lead. It can now generate text, images, music, and complex decisions. These capabilities aren’t just technological advances — they represent a fundamental shift in how value is created.
Professionals worry that their skills are becoming obsolete. But Gen AI isn’t eliminating all human contribution. It’s reshaping the roles we play and the strengths we need to succeed.
Historically, human value was tied to creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving (Think craftsmen, analysts and writers). Gen AI challenges that by performing many of those tasks, sometimes faster and better.
So what remains uniquely human?
Rather than competing with AI, we must evolve and lean into these strengths.
With Gen AI’s ability to process and generate information at scale, some workplace skills are becoming less essential. Tasks that rely on repetitive or predictable cognitive functions, such as data entry, report summarization, and even basic coding, are now easily handled by AI.
Likewise, routine problem-solving and decision-making tasks, where inputs and outcomes are clearly defined, are areas where AI outperforms humans in both speed and accuracy. Content creation in isolation is also declining in value. Tools like ChatGPT and DALL·E can quickly produce high-quality drafts, designs and media, reducing the need for human intervention in the initial stages of creation.
This doesn’t mean human creativity is obsolete. It means it’s evolving — from generating content to curating and refining it. Leaders must recognize this shift and guide teams toward higher-order capabilities that complement AI’s strengths.
As AI automates technical and routine tasks, human qualities will become more critical than ever. Emotional and social intelligence are crucial in roles that require trust, empathy, and connection. Leadership, counseling, and caregiving still depend on understanding and building human relationships — something machines can’t truly replicate.
Strategic and integrative thinking will also grow in value. While AI processes vast amounts of data, it struggles to connect insights across different contexts. Professionals who can synthesize information across domains, anticipate long-term impact, and align actions with organizational goals will remain vital.
Creativity isn’t disappearing — it’s maturing. Humans will increasingly serve as curators of AI-generated content, shaping it to reflect cultural, ethical and organizational values. Ethical and moral judgment will become defining skills as professionals manage AI’s potential biases and ensure fairness in data-driven decisions.
Finally, adaptability and learning agility will define future success. As AI rapidly evolves, those who embrace lifelong learning will be best equipped to keep pace.
The future of work isn’t about competing with AI—it’s about collaborating with it. Successful professionals will integrate AI into their workflows, leveraging its capabilities while maintaining critical human oversight.
This human-AI synergy — where people provide vision, ethics and emotional intelligence — opens new paths for innovation. Despite AI’s growing influence, the “human touch” remains essential in fields like healthcare, education, and leadership. Trust, cultural understanding, and compassion are core to these domains and irreplaceable by machines.
Rather than replace us, AI can augment our work, freeing us to focus on higher-value activities. For example, marketers can use AI to analyze data while humans craft messaging and strategy. Leaders must build systems that enable this partnership.
Thriving in the age of generative AI requires intentional preparation. Lifelong learning should be a core professional value. Employees must learn how to use AI tools effectively while leveraging their uniquely human strengths, such as empathy, creativity, and ethical reasoning.
Organizations should foster adaptability by encouraging experimentation, supporting cross-functional learning, and creating environments that reward curiosity and innovation.
Technology literacy is essential. Teams need to understand not only how AI works, but also its limitations, especially as they adapt to how AI is changing human work and redefine their roles alongside intelligent systems. By aligning professional development with the opportunities AI creates, businesses can future-proof their workforce.
Generative AI, when used strategically, is not a threat; it’s an opportunity. It gives us the chance to redefine what it means to be human in the workplace.
As AI handles more routine tasks, humans can focus on what truly matters: connection, creativity, strategic vision, and ethical leadership.
To thrive, professionals must embrace AI as a partner, not a competitor. Those who cultivate adaptability, nurture human qualities, and commit to continuous learning will lead the way.
The rise of generative AI is not the end of human relevance. It’s the beginning of a new chapter, one where we become not just workers or creators, but curators, strategists and ethical stewards, guiding technology toward a better future.
From frustration to flourishing: Mastering Gen AI Strategy [On-demand webinar]
Many business leaders and CEOs feel a sense of loneliness at the top and turn to business coaching for guidance. Executives often feel like all of the big decisions are on them, and they don’t always have a board of directors or an objective group of colleagues to lean on. Those who have others to turn to wonder if there’s a bias or agenda to the input they receive — or if their peers have the kind of experience to be of high service.
When CEOs have a coach they can rely on as well as a CEO peer advisory group, it’s a powerful combination that delivers impressive results.
This guide aims to shed light on how wonderful business coaching is when done in a proven, structured way.
Table of Contents:
Business coaching is one of the best ways to grow your business faster, become a better leader and set a clear vision for your business — and an action plan for achieving it.
A business coach is an accomplished leader who generally has enjoyed decades of success as a CEO, top executive or business owner. Also referred to as an “executive mentor,” “CEO coach,” or “Chair,” your business coach should have formal training in mentoring others and should follow a structured framework for success. Business coaches know that personal issues can get in the way of work performance and visa versa, so most take a holistic approach to coaching and encourage clients to address any issues that they are facing.
Business coaching can help you clarify your thinking, prioritize your work, help you make more informed decisions, and hold you accountable — and on deadline — for agreed-upon results. Your business coach can also be a great source of support, a trusted ally and someone to help you identify your blind spots — obstacles to growth that we all have but usually prefer not to know about.
A business coach meets with you on a regular basis to discuss the challenges, issues and opportunities you’re facing. He or she will ask questions to clarify your thinking and guide you to your own answers. A business coach will never tell you what to do or how to do it. He or she will share their own insights, experiences and resources to inform your own decision-making.
Business coaches also often provide information and research on the most relevant topics for your specific circumstances. You should feel comfortable turning to your business coach as a personal sounding board and as a respected source of feedback.
Most business coaches meet with their clients one-to-one. However, Vistage Chairs (another title for business coach) additionally facilitate CEO peer advisory groups, so you meet with them privately and in a powerful group setting.
Vistage Chairs help business owners, top executives and CEOs navigate their biggest challenges. They are part coach, mentor, guide, confidant and inspiration. In addition to meeting with their clients one-to-one, they facilitate confidential CEO peer advisory group meetings with 12 to 16 other business leaders. Their clients are from non-competing industries, yet they all face similar issues, and each learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives. The Vistage Chair leads group discussions so they are always focused, on-point and result in actionable next steps.
In between peer advisory group meetings, you connect with your Vistage Chair for a deeper dive into your unique circumstances. Unlike the average business coach, Vistage Chairs also use a time-tested model for mentoring that delivers proven results.
The bar is high to become a Vistage Chair. In addition to being an accomplished business leader with proven success, each Chair must complete an intensive 6-month Academy that prepares them to use Vistage’s proprietary framework for business coaching. This approach to mentorship has been honed and cultivated over six decades to produce phenomenal results for its client members. Vistage Chairs are also supported by a world-class business research center and thought leaders to help deliver the very best information and resources to their clients.
In the world of business coaching, being a Vistage Chair is the gold standard of excellence. Other business coaches simply do not have this level of structure, support and a world-class knowledge base to draw from.
When faced with this challenge, Gaurav Kumar, CEO of Beyond Codes and a Vistage member since 2014, turned to his Vistage group to seek advice and guidance from his fellow members. After a few hours of drilling questions and suggestions, Kumar knew he needed to bring his company together for an open conversation to establish role clarity across the board. This is just one simple example of how business coaching can help solve your challenges.
Many leaders confuse business coaching, consulting and mentoring — each serves a unique purpose. Understanding the differences will help you choose the right approach for your specific challenges.
| Approach |
What It Focuses On |
Best For |
Key Benefit |
| Business Coaching | Leadership growth, strategy, accountability | CEOs & executives looking to develop skills & refine strategy | Empowers leaders to solve problems & drive business growth |
| Consulting | Providing expert solutions & problem-solving | Businesses needing specific, tactical solutions | Delivers expertise & executes solutions |
| Mentoring | Sharing wisdom & career advice | Professionals seeking long-term guidance and insights | Provides career perspective & support |
Many leaders often confuse business coaching, consulting, and mentoring, as each serves a unique purpose. Understanding the differences will help you choose the right approach for your specific challenges.
Business coaching is ideal for executives who want to level up their leadership, make better decisions, and scale their businesses.
Getting distracted by the daily grind – Vistage business coaching can help you prioritize your work and put a smart, well-planned long-term strategy in place to grow your business. Your business coach will keep you focused and accountable for achieving manageable, strategic goals each month.
If you feel that all the decisions are on you, Vistage business coaching is the answer. You are part of a group of 12-16 respected peers – other local CEOs and business owners – who are all committed to helping each other succeed. Led by an accomplished business coach (Vistage Chair), everyone in this confidential forum has each other’s back and provides a trusted source of input and feedback.
Vistage business coaching will help you keep your eyes on the prize by helping you develop rock-solid, pressure-tested strategies. You’ll also stay inspired and motivated by renowned thought leaders and subject matter experts who present at most meetings. You know what they say about the company you keep…
Vistage business coaching puts you in an arena of others who have been there, done that. You have all of the perspectives, resources, connections and guidance to make great, well-informed decisions on a consistent basis.
Vistage business coaching helps member companies grow 2.2x faster on average than similar-sized U.S. companies.
During the Great Recession, Vistage business coaching helped member companies grow at a rate of 5.8%, while nonmember companies struggled to stay afloat.
The average CEO member stays with Vistage business coaching for at least 5 years; some have been with Vistage for over 20 years.
More than 23,000 business leaders worldwide rely on Vistage business coaching today.
Established in 1957, Vistage business coaching has helped over 100,000 CEOs and business owners become better leaders, achieving better results for their businesses.
Many CEOs and executives wonder, “Is business coaching worth the investment?” The answer is a resounding yes. Business coaching delivers measurable financial benefits, increasing profitability, productivity, and leadership effectiveness.
Not all business coaches are created equal. The right coach will challenge your thinking, provide accountability, and help you grow. Here’s how to choose one that fits your needs.
What is the time commitment involved for Vistage business coaching?
Through studying CEOs and leadership development for decades, Vistage business coaching requires that you take one full business day each month to meet with your peer advisory group and at least two hours each month to dedicate to a one-to-one session with your business coach (Vistage Chair). This does not include time spent watching and reading our world-class business resources or attending optional webinars and live-stream sessions.
Do CEOs need business coaching?
It’s easy to fall prey to insular thinking when you are at the top of an organization. It’s also difficult to get objective, unbiased feedback from others you respect. Every CEO, top executive and business owner can greatly benefit from the diverse perspectives and insights gleaned from a business coach and peer advisory group.
How much does Business Coaching Cost?
The cost of business coaching greatly varies and is primarily determined by the success rate, schedule, tenure and location of the business coach. Costs can range from $100 per hour to $1,000. To determine how much Vistage business coaching and peer advisory will cost for you, complete this short membership form to find out if you qualify.
Who is the best business coach in the world?
There are many great business coaches out there, and it’s a growing profession. The best business coaching in the world will help you make better decisions that benefit every area of your life, not only your company’s bottom line. Vistage’s world-class business coaches follow a structured, proprietary method honed over six decades.
It incorporates peer advisory to help its client members achieve the kind of success they have been dreaming about. It’s the most comprehensive approach to leadership development available. In fact, Vistage member companies grow 2.2x faster on average than other similar-sized companies, with members staying with Vistage for more than five years on average.
Does business coaching really work?
Absolutely. When you have a committed business leader who is willing to carve out the time from his or her daily routine to work with a business coach on their toughest issues and greatest vision, you are going to see results. Over the course of six decades, Vistage business coaching has helped over 100,000 CEOs become better leaders who make better decisions and get better results.
It’s a proven approach that’s helped business leaders turn companies around, quadruple their profits in a short time, save businesses, grow faster than they ever expected, expand internationally, and more. Check out some of these member success stories.
How do you find a business coach?
Complete this short form to find out if you qualify to get matched with a Vistage business coach in your area.
Explore 6 purpose-built business coaching programs. Every level of leadership can benefit from the fresh perspectives of a peer advisory group and business coach (Vistage Chair). It’s a proven way to drive better results and professional growth. Vistage offers programs designed for all levels of leadership, starting at the top.
Be part of a group of accomplished CEOs, presidents and business owners who can help you focus on what’s most critical to your long-term strategy and growth. Work with a dedicated business coach who will connect you to leading-edge experts and resources to help you solve your most complex challenges.
Explore Vistage Chief Executive Program
When you’re in the throes of the everyday demands of a small business, it’s easy to overlook the details that will drive long-term growth. With the help of a peer advisory group and business coach (Chair), you can identify your blind spots, avoid pitfalls, and make better decisions that will grow your business faster and more strategically.
Explore the Vistage Small Business Program
Join an accomplished business coach and an elite group of high-performing C-level executives, VPs and directors from diverse backgrounds and businesses. Improve your ability to gain alignment between executive leadership and your team while making a more powerful impact on your company.
The Trusted Advisor Program is designed for leaders in professional services such as law, PR and accounting, who want to take their services and skills to the next level and open up new opportunities. It provides the exposure to help you gain new contacts to grow your business, the training to fine-tune your leadership strengths and the support to bolster your brand.
Explore Vistage Trusted Advisor
Vistage Inside offers a talent development approach that fully engages your team, equips them with the skills and sensibilities to manage collaboratively and helps them achieve higher levels of performance.
The Vistage Emerging Leader Program prepares your rising stars to become your next generation of senior leadership. Participants receive business coaching across 12 leadership competencies that empower them to deliver on company goals.
Explore Vistage Emerging Leader
Discover the winning formula that over 23,000 successful CEOs use worldwide and maximize your success with this optimized blueprint. Click the button below to get the free guide.
The Ultimate Executive Coaching Guide for CEOs Looking for Growth
8 Qualities of the Best Executive Coaches
One-to-One Business Coaching with Vistage
Vistage Executive Coaching Resource Center
Once again, a delay in tariffs yields a modest gain in small business confidence. The WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index rose for the third consecutive month, reaching 86.1 in July, primarily driven by a slight increase in economic optimism. There are multiple factors at play in this increase in confidence, in part due to the one-month delay in tariffs, as well as the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
Enacted on July 4, the OBBBA includes many business-friendly policies related to tax provisions. Attention now turns to implementation concerns and the guidance needed to understand the timing of different provisions.
According to Watson McLeish, Senior Vice President of Tax Policy with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC), “The bill will deliver permanent, pro-growth tax reforms designed to drive American innovation, boost investment and benefit businesses, workers and communities nationwide. He details five reforms that are particularly relevant to small businesses.
Members from Vistage are attending a briefing with policy experts from the USCC in Washington, D.C., this week to understand more about the implications of various policies on small and midsize businesses.
In addition to resources from the USCC, Chief Executive has compiled a list that helps break down business-specific provisions in the bill.
While a greater proportion of small businesses expect improvements in profitability, over 1 in 5 (22%) anticipate a decline in profitability in the year ahead. Ripple effects of tariffs and other rising costs, including wages, impact the prices that small businesses pay for goods and services.
Some businesses have stockpiled inventory ahead of tariffs as a way to mitigate increased costs. This strategy has a limited lifespan. As Uri Thatcher, CEO of TouchUpDirect, LLC in Chino, California, says, “As inventory works down, tariffed inventory will replace it at additional cost.”
However, following the initial announcement and subsequent delays of tariffs, sentiment about the negative impacts has eased as small businesses have had time to take steps to mitigate tariffs or have yet to be affected.
As A.J. van de Ven, President & CEO of CALSENSE in Carlsbad, California, shares that they have “diversified our supplier base, negotiated directly to mitigate tariff exposure, and aligned with federal procurement standards like Buy America.”
However, labor remains a challenge on multiple levels. Labor costs have increased, at times greater than the business’s ability to adjust pricing. As Stephen Moffitt shares, his company, Mottco Roofing in Hutto, Texas, experienced a “14% increase in pricing with a 20% increase in our labor pricing.”
For some industries, concerns about labor availability have increased. John Orfield, Principal of Dallas-based Boka Powell, LLC, says, “Residential market contractors are losing staff… driving prices up for both commercial and residential construction.”
While nearly two-thirds of small business leaders (65%) report no impacts from the recent acceleration of deportations, specific industries that are more reliant on immigrant workers feel the impact in various ways. “Labor pool for construction jobs is shrinking,” says Brad Lunz of The Lunz Group in Lakeland, Florida. “Fear is preventing some laborers from coming onto the job site. This is slowing the overall schedule and negatively impacting cash flow.”
Those businesses are experiencing the effects of immigration on two levels: 1) from the morale created by fear and uncertainty, and 2) the inability to keep up with demand due to loss of workforce and slower supply chains.
There are 4 implications for business leaders when it comes to potentially accelerated deportations impacting their business:
Policies related to trade, immigration, and other areas have both direct and indirect ripple effects on small businesses. Next month, our analysis will unpack more details on the impacts of the OBBBA on small businesses and subsequent tariff announcements.
The July WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index was calculated from an online survey sent to CEOs and other key leaders who are active U.S. Vistage members. The survey, conducted between July 7 and 14, 2025, collected data from 465 respondents with annual revenues ranging from $1 million to $20 million.
To explore the full July 2025 WSJ/Vistage Small Business data set, visit our data center or download the infographic.
The August 2025 WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index will be calculated from small business respondents to the August WSJ/Vistage Small Business survey, which will take place August 4-11, 2025.
Growth-focused CEOs need leadership development and diverse perspectives from peers who understand their challenges. Traditional executive coaching helps you develop leadership skills, but when you’re preparing for an exit, considering international expansion or navigating a partnership dispute, you may need more than personal development. In these cases, you might benefit from the viewpoints of a broad range of executives who’ve made similar high-stakes decisions with their own money on the line.
While Vistage and traditional executive coaching both focus on leadership growth, they each serve different purposes for CEOs. Understanding these differences helps you choose the approach that matches your current leadership stage.
Vistage |
Traditional Executive Coaching |
|---|---|
| Vistage combines professional facilitation with peer advisory, bringing together 12-16 CEOs from non-competing companies for monthly strategic sessions. You get both group wisdom and one-to-one coaching, led by a Chair with 15+ years of executive experience. | Traditional executive coaching provides personalized leadership development through regular one-to-one sessions with a certified coach. Focus typically centers on developing management skills, emotional intelligence and personal leadership effectiveness. |
Most CEOs recognize the value of executive coaching in enhancing leadership development. The question is whether you need something more comprehensive for the key issues you’re facing.
If you are weighing decisions that require input on complex business situations, you want guidance from trusted peers who understand the challenges that come with running enterprise-level operations. Drawing on the collective wisdom of multiple leaders who’ve been in your position provides insights that individual coaching cannot match.
The comparison below examines how Vistage and traditional coaching each address important elements of executive decision-making.
What Matters to You |
Vistage |
Traditional Executive Coaching |
|---|---|---|
| Decision-Making Support | Monthly sessions focus on processing real business challenges using proven frameworks. Your Chair and peer group help you work through strategic decisions, from capital investments to organizational restructuring. | Coaching conversations typically address leadership behaviors and management effectiveness. Major business initiatives may be discussed, but aren’t usually the primary focus. |
| Perspective Diversity | You access input from 12-16 CEOs across different industries who’ve faced similar obstacles. Each brings experience from companies generating $5M to $1B+ in revenue. | You work with one coach who provides expertise based on their background and experience with executive clients. |
| Accountability Structure | Peer accountability is facilitated through monthly group sessions, which track progress and ensure follow-through on critical initiatives. You also receive feedback and guidance during regular one-to-one meetings with your Chair. | Accountability comes through regular check-ins with your coach, who tracks your progress and provides feedback on your commitments. |
| ROI Measurement | Members track specific business goals and report measurable outcomes. Vistage companies grow 2.2x faster and stay in business 4x longer than the average U.S. company and show consistent growth improvements. | Measurement approaches vary widely, with some coaches tracking leadership assessments and behavioral changes while others focus on goal achievement and performance metrics. |
| Confidentiality & Trust | 100% confidential environment with peers from non-competing companies, allowing open discussion of sensitive business and personal issues. | The individual coaching model ensures confidentiality and privacy in a one-on-one setting. |
The choice between Vistage vs. traditional executive coaching often comes down to your timeline and scope of objectives.
Vistage is a better fit if you: |
Traditional Executive Coaching might be better if you: |
|---|---|
| Lead a $5M+ company and need strategic wisdom from peers who understand the level of organizational complexity you work with every day. | Are seeking guidance with a specific, short-term business challenge. |
| Face major business decisions where multiple perspectives improve outcomes. | Work better in one-to-one settings and aren’t looking for advice from peers at a comparable level. |
| Want structured accountability from fellow CEOs who’ve been in your shoes. | Lead a smaller organization where operational complexity doesn’t require highly specialized input. |
| Need confidential discussions of sensitive business issues such as succession planning or major pivots. | Want targeted support for a particular skill or situation without ongoing peer accountability. |
| Value proven frameworks for processing complex challenges rather than open-ended coaching conversations. |
Traditional executive coaching operates on engagement-based contracts. Vistage Chairs build sustained relationships with members, often spanning multiple years.
Your executive coach may help you become a better leader, but a peer group can also provide valuable feedback on leadership issues you’re facing.
Traditional coaching provides a single perspective. Peer group diversity uncovers blind spots and reveals options you might miss in one-to-one sessions.
Coach accountability operates through your individual relationship… Many leaders find that peer accountability produces stronger levels of motivation and follow-through.
Traditional executive coaching often focuses on leadership development metrics. Vistage members report progress on revenue growth, operational improvements and critical initiatives alongside their leadership development.
Feature |
Description |
|---|---|
| Professional Facilitation by Accomplished CEO Chairs | Chairs bring both professional training and real-world experience running companies at your scale. |
| Structured Issue-Processing Methodology | Vistage utilizes proven frameworks that have been optimized over 65 years, producing actionable decisions and effective planning. |
| Access to Global Network Beyond Your Local Group | Membership connects you to 45,000 leaders across 40 countries for broader insight. |
| Combined Group Sessions and One-to-One Coaching | You receive both group perspective and individual guidance with your Chair. |
| Non-Competing Peer Composition for Open Dialogue | Vistage’s peer network allows sensitive conversations without competitive risk. |
Vistage isn’t for everyone — and that’s by design. We curate every group to ensure that members are surrounded by true peers and guided by expert Chairs, positioning you for measurable growth.
With 45,000 members across 40 countries and 65 years of experience, Vistage remains the most trusted peer advisory network for growth-minded CEOs. If you’re leading a $5M+ business and are ready for strategic accountability, this is where it starts.
The business landscape has shifted significantly in recent years, and what it means to lead has evolved just as much. Amid volatility and uncertainty, today’s leaders are increasingly focused on productivity and results, and the CEO leadership traits that mattered in the past may no longer be the ones that define success going forward.
To thrive in 2025 and beyond, CEOs must adapt. The following 4 traits are shaping what great leadership looks like today and represent the CEO leadership traits that are driving high-performing organizations into the future.
There’s a growing sense of urgency in nearly every industry to understand artificial intelligence. CEOs everywhere are trying to figure out whether AI is a productivity driver or a people replacer — and if it could put their core business at risk. It’s nearly impossible to inspire employees if they believe AI might replace them.
Instead, the most successful CEOs view AI as a tool and a resource. These leaders are embracing AI to improve the employee experience, empower better decision-making, and unlock new levels of creativity.
They see AI as a catalyst for skill development and innovation rather than a threat. Among modern CEO leadership traits, this willingness to lean into change — and to guide others through it — is quickly becoming essential.
In today’s environment, credibility is earned through expertise. One of the clearest CEO leadership traits we see among top performers is their deep understanding of the business they lead. Coworkers, board members, investors and customers alike are looking to CEOs not just for direction but for insights, clarity and confidence.
That’s why today’s best leaders aren’t distant strategists — they’re close to the ground. They stay informed by getting into the trenches and staying in touch with what matters most: the customer. Their hands-on approach builds trust and keeps their leadership grounded in the realities of their industry.
CEOs have always been in the business of making tough calls, but the speed and precision of decision-making have never been more important. Among today’s most impactful CEO leadership traits is a bias for action, especially when time is limited and the path forward isn’t always clear.
The best leaders don’t wait for perfect clarity. They know that decisive action often means moving forward with just enough information, even if it involves risk. But there’s a difference between acting recklessly and taking calculated risks that align with vision, purpose and values. When team members understand the “why,” they’re better equipped to act quickly and with confidence.
Conversations with trusted CEO peers play a critical role in shaping that clarity. When leaders seek out diverse perspectives, they reduce confirmation bias, anticipate potential roadblocks, and make more informed decisions. Trusted dialogue sparks action — and in today’s environment, that’s a defining difference.
Culture doesn’t just happen. It’s a reflection of what a CEO allows, encourages and communicates. If accountability is lacking, that’s likely what leadership has tolerated. One of the most powerful CEO leadership traits today is the ability to intentionally shape culture from the top down.
The best CEOs foster cultures of respect, where employees are encouraged to share ideas and challenge thinking. When employees feel heard and valued, they become more loyal, more creative and more engaged. Recognition becomes motivation, and openness breeds innovation.
Transparency is also key. Too often, CEOs believe they need to have all the answers before involving others. But in truth, communicating challenges and uncertainties allows the team to contribute and engage in solutions. Trust grows when people are brought into the process. That’s how you build a culture of accountability — by modeling openness and inviting collaboration.
Today’s most successful CEOs aren’t just adapting to change — they’re driving it. They’re selling more than a product or service — they’re selling a vision. And through that vision, they’re creating something people want to be part of.
What defines great leadership in today’s business world has changed. The CEO leadership traits that matter most now — embracing innovation, leading with expertise, taking decisive action, and building strong cultures — are shaping a new kind of CEO. One who doesn’t wait on the sidelines but leads transformation from the front.
This story first appeared in Entrepreneur.
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Can SMEs keep growing while economical and geopolitical uncertainty shows no sign of easing? Leaders of UK and Ireland SMEs remain cautiously optimistic.
The latest Vistage Q2 2025 CEO Confidence Index has ticked upward to 89.5, rising from 87.5 in Q1. It’s a small but welcome rebound in sentiment, and a sign that CEOs are starting to steady themselves after a year of persistent headwinds.
Just over half (55%) expect sales revenue to grow in the next 12 months, and 61% now predict increased profits, a jump from just 49% last quarter.
Meanwhile, 57% plan to grow headcount, and almost a third (31%) intend to boost fixed investments, even as 27% expect to cut back.
Still, after a turbulent beginning to the year, they know they can’t afford to take their foot off the gas just yet.
Uncertainty remains the backdrop to every decision. Nearly half (48%) of CEOs say economic conditions have worsened in the past year, with 47% expecting things to stay about the same in the months ahead, and 29% bracing for further decline.
It’s a delicate balancing act. But leaders are doubling down on what they can control (their people, their costs, their technology) while staying flexible enough to adapt as new risks and opportunities emerge.
More than half (51%) of business leaders believe the UK is losing competitiveness compared to EU markets. While only 8% think the UK is becoming a more competitive trade hub.
When it comes to EU expansion, most SMEs are holding back. Just 10% are actively planning to expand into EU markets this year, while nearly 40% are reassessing opportunities but haven’t yet taken action.
Attracting talent also remains a top concern. And the proposed UK-EU youth mobility scheme is unlikely to solve the issue. Nearly half (46%) say it will make little to no difference to their hiring needs, and a tiny 5% believe it will significantly help address talent shortages.
It’s clear that many businesses are choosing to consolidate and strengthen their domestic position before making bigger international commitments.
The economic and geopolitical pressures are clearly taking their toll.
Nearly one in five CEOs now rate their work-life balance as poor, while 43% experience occasional burnout, with 20% saying it happens frequently.
A worrying 60% also simply aren’t able to fully disconnect when they take time off.
Clearly, leaders are paying a high personal price for steering their organisations through uncertain times.
This raises big questions about sustainability. How long can CEOs and business owners maintain this pace without more support or healthier boundaries?
Prioritising wellbeing will be vital if leaders are to remain resilient enough to guide their teams through continued economic challenges.
While enthusiasm for AI remains high, many SMEs are still struggling to turn that potential into practical business gains.
Common reasons for this are that they lack the technical expertise to implement AI effectively, they don’t yet have a clear strategy for AI adoption, or they face high levels of internal resistance.
It’s clear that, without the right skills and mindset in place, even the best technology can’t deliver results.
For SMEs to unlock AI’s full potential, they’ll need to invest in training, clearer roadmaps, and cultural change. Otherwise, the AI gap will only widen, leaving businesses more exposed to competitors who move faster to embrace innovation.
SME leaders will need to keep balancing caution with boldness.
Trade concerns, skills gaps and CEOs wellbeing are pressing issues. But strategic investments in talent, technology and support will help businesses stay resilient.
Download the full Q2 2025 Vistage CEO Confidence Index to see the complete data, trends and insights shaping the outlook for the year ahead.
[Download the report here.]
Vistage is where my skill set and my passion have converged.
Editor’s Note: This profile is part of a series highlighting Vistage Chairs — executive coaches who help guide CEOs and leaders of small and midsize businesses to make better decisions for their companies, families and communities.
For 30 years, Randy Fields built a thriving career in medical implant distribution, leading Fields Medical and Spine Solutions. After selling Spine Solutions in 1999, he joined Vistage, eager for his next challenge.
By 2007, with his second company up for sale, he faced a new question: what now? His group recommended “Halftime” by Bob Buford. One idea hit home — shifting from success to significance. For Fields, that message marked the beginning of a new purpose beyond business.
Five years later, Fields discussed the book during a one-on-one meeting with his Chair, mentor and friend, Bill Houston.
“Why don’t you become a Vistage Chair?” asked Houston.
“The scales fell from my eyes, and it was like, ‘Well, that’s a great idea,’” Fields says. “I told [Bill] he was fired because it took him 5 years to come up with that! But that was the start of my Vistage Chair journey.”
Since 2013, Fields has been helping other CEOs experience their own exit transitions. Since 2017, 8 member companies in Fields’ groups have sold for more than $470 million.
“It is exciting to be at dinner with the owner and spouse of the business and celebrate that milestone,” he says.
One of the reasons Fields became a Chair was to give back to all the people who helped him on his journey as a business leader. Today, he Chairs 8 groups out of Louisville, Kentucky, and guides 180 members.
“It’s thrilling to have the ability to impact people’s lives,” he says. “I most appreciate seeing the lightbulb go off for people, whether that’s a frontline worker who wants to become a manager or that CEO who makes a decision they have struggled with for four to five years and says, ‘Wow, I should have done that sooner.’”
When Fields started as a Chair, he saw the need for a year-long leadership program and approached the University of Louisville. Together, they developed a 12-month leadership program for members of Fields’ Emerging Leader Program. The first cohort consisted of 30 people, and the program continues to this day, with 2 members now serving in CEO groups.
“We just graduated our third group of AL and EL leaders and have had 90+ people from different companies, my personal members, who go through the program,” he says. “Our success rate graduating people from Emerging Leader to Advancing Leader is about 96%.”
Fostering learning and education is a priority for Fields, a 2-time Top Chair and Robert Nourse Chair of the Year recipient, among many other accolades. He strives to encourage members to explore new and more effective ways to accomplish tasks. Attending ChairWorld provides access to top-notch speakers, allowing him to book speakers for educational programs. By the time he leaves the annual conference, Fields has booked speakers 12 to 18 months in advance.
According to Fields, prioritizing learning and finding members who are equally committed to professional and personal growth is essential to success as a Chair. Early in his tenure, he focused on filling spots.
“That was my biggest mistake early on — just bringing them on if I could see they were breathing,” he says.
Now, Fields is committed to finding learners, and he works closely with other Chairs in Louisville to ensure they all work together without diluting the Vistage name.
“Vistage is where my skill set and my passion have converged,” he says. “God has placed me to do this work. I love what I do and don’t consider it to be work.”
Beyond moving from success to significance, becoming a Vistage Chair has granted him more family time. Fields’ son, Carson, now co-leads the Emerging Leaders program as part of his leadership development, which is sponsored by his employer.
“I work really hard 3 weeks a month, and my lovely wife and I travel one week every month to see our grandbabies, and we pick up an extra week every quarter,” he says. “So, I have 16 weeks of vacation. That’s pretty cool.”
If this coaching story interests you and you’d like to see more, learn more about Chairing and how it could lead to the next chapter of your life.
The demands of leadership are relentless, and, increasingly, CEOs and business leaders are recognizing that performance at the top starts with personal well-being. The health of an organization often mirrors the health of its leader.
Our latest research confirms the growing attention on wellness in the C-suite: almost 70% of CEOs admit feeling burned out regularly, with nearly a quarter experiencing it frequently or nearly every day. While leaders recognize the critical role health plays in sustaining their performance, many still struggle to prioritize it consistently amid the demands of leadership and the ever-present “always on” culture.
To support leaders in building sustainable habits that enhance both personal performance and business outcomes, Vistage has created this resource center. Here, you’ll find actionable insights, strategies from trusted experts, and stories from fellow CEOs who are navigating their own health journeys.
Our latest piece from Vistage Research explores why focusing on CEO health and wellness is imperative for leaders.
To help with your CEO health and wellness goals, we have curated:
The ROI of CEO Wellness: Why Your Health is Your Company’s Greatest Asset
Discover how CEO wellness boosts business performance. Explore simple, high-impact health strategies specifically designed for leaders and owners of small and midsize businesses.
‘CEOing’ Your Health [Vistage Perspectives]
Great leadership starts with well-being. Learn how Vistage supports members by prioritizing physical and mental health through new partnerships and wellness benefits.
Managing CEO Stress: 5 Strategies Leaders Can Use to Beat Burnout
This blog explores 5 powerful strategies to manage stress and avoid burnout while creating a more sustainable work-life balance. From setting boundaries to focusing on self-care, these tips are tailored for today’s high-performing leaders.
CEO Confidence Cools: Uncertainty Derails Workforce Expansion, Adds to Burnout
Between tariffs, general economic and political instability, and talent shortages, it’s little wonder that nearly 25% of CEOs report experiencing feelings of burnout daily. Learn more about the causes and effects of burnout in the Vistage Q2 CEO Confidence Index report.
Dealing with Stress as an Executive
Don’t let executive stress take a toll on your mental, physical and emotional well-being. Check out these steps for reducing stress and its harmful effects on health.
Want to Prevent Burnout? Keep Your Back Burner Lit.
Feeling exhausted at work? Vistage speaker Mitch Harrison shares a simple 3-step framework to help you combat burnout and keep your workplace wellness in check.
10 Realistic Ways for CEOs to Improve Their Mental Health
Vistage speaker John Panigas shares how a depressive disorder led to developing a 10-step self-care routine to rebuild mental health and overall well-being
Enjoying Life After a Life-Altering Battle
Eco System Pest Control CEO Bill Douglas was thriving — until a life-altering cancer diagnosis turned everything upside down. Discover how Vistage “had his back” during treatment, providing unwavering support that helped him not only beat cancer but also successfully sell his company for over $10 million.
How Les Whitney Found ‘Cancer’s Gifts’
Meet Vistage Chair Les Whitney, who has lived with Stage 4 lung cancer since his diagnosis in 2019. Learn how Les continues to function, grow and enjoy life with the help of longtime friend and fellow Chair Lindon Crow.
Dan Miller: Act Like an Animal
In this video, Vistage speaker Dan Miller explains why CEOs must prioritize wellness and shares how better health can boost leadership and performance.
Sports, Leisure and Wellness Network
Join the Vistage SLW Network, the go-to forum for information on recreation, leisure, sporting activities, and physical and mental well-being (My Vistage login required).
As part of our investment in the performance of our members, Vistage has partnered with the organizations below to offer exclusive benefits. Learn more from the links below. (Note: These resources require a My Vistage password.)
Recharge Your Leadership at Canyon Ranch
A Michelin-rated experience, Canyon Ranch offers plans and retreats designed to help leaders recharge, reduce stress and boost performance. Gain exclusive access to preventative care, physical assessments and personalized plans for optimal health and vitality.
Sometimes the best treatment for cancer is time. The Galleri test offers a multi-cancer screening that can identify over 50 types of cancer before symptoms arise. With Galleri, you can enhance your well-being and business stability while reducing potential disruptions.
Looking for an expert to work with your company or speak to your group? Click below to learn more about these speakers in the Vistage community (My Vistage password required).
For more resources, visit the My Vistage speaker page and search for “Wellness” in the “Personal Development” category.
Full Tank: Building Rhythms to Avoid Burnout and Show Up At Your Best
In this on-demand webinar, Vistage speaker Mitch Harrison demonstrates how to create a personalized, actionable plan to recharge your energy and sustain peak performance for the work that matters most.
Be a Happy Human and Leader
Vistage speaker Dan Miller introduces the Happy Human Program, which identifies the 6 aspects of health, wellness and longevity, and provides easy-to-implement actions to help the body and mind perform at above-optimum levels.
At a company’s earliest stages, a CEO is like a Swiss Army knife: relied upon to do just about everything. As an organization matures and scales, however, it’s no longer helpful for the CEO to bend and extend into limitless functions. Let someone else be the corkscrew. Hand off the nail-filing responsibilities. It is time for the CEO — and the company’s entire team — to evolve into more specialized roles.
We spoke with Vistage Chairs and business leaders to learn how you can accelerate your company’s problem-solving skills to foster growth, build a strong corporate culture and empower your employees to become better decision-makers. Here are their 3 pieces of advice:
The thing that makes a founder great is the very thing that can impede their company’s growth.
“A lot of CEOs, especially founders, live in their heads,” says Chris Quinn, a Vistage Chair (executive coach) in Apex, North Carolina, who guides 10 groups of business leaders along with his co-Chair and wife Ana. “By the time they say something out loud, they think it’s a finished product. They haven’t necessarily involved their key employees in thinking it through. If you’ve hired the right people, how do you think they feel about that?”
In addition to turning off (and turning away) qualified leaders, an omniscient CEO can slow down progress, said Quinn, who refers to his Vistage meetings as “learning laboratories.”
“You can’t rely on the CEO to be the Oracle of Delphi,” he says. “In our learning laboratories, I’ll ask, ‘Do you agree that the company is not going any farther than you can take them?’ When the CEOs say, ‘Yes,’ I ask, ‘What are you doing to raise your ceiling?’
“They come to realize the team has to grow, and that they have to develop them as well,” he says.
Longtime Vistage member Yann Brandt joined FlexGen just as the energy storage solutions and service provider had grown from a venture-backed startup to a $150 million company. FlexGen is poised to double in size this year. To support that acceleration, the CEO says the company will need to develop its managers to handle problem-solving.
“My Vistage experience has taught me that the problems we are going to face in the future are our people: having enough of them, making sure they’re properly trained,” he says. “We are in the service business. If growth is restricted by people, and if, in order to get more people, I need more managers, I know I will need some version of management training,” he said.
Singling out individual managers to read a book or attend a conference wasn’t going to cut it, so Brandt tapped Quinn to facilitate a leadership development program within FlexGen that’s tailored for the organization’s needs and goals, which include problem-solving.
“We need leadership training inside our business that is catered to our business,” he says. “That way, we can provide people the resources managers need to resolve conflicts internally, as well as through Chairs, who can coach them through problem resolution.”
Adds Quinn: “Our Vistage Inside program will also help us identify emerging leaders. It’s a cheat code for me to know where my issues are going to be and where I need to be looking inside the organization.”
In some companies, “delegating” is a dirty word, implying that a CEO is shirking their responsibilities by saddling someone else with them. In truth, a high-functioning company has leaders who understand which decisions are theirs to make — and how to make them to serve the company’s goals.
Of course, this can only happen when a CEO understands their own role in the company and invests in a well-functioning team, says Teresa Bartels, an executive coach who Chairs four Vistage groups outside of Chicago.
“CEOs often have a vision, and they find it difficult to articulate it in a way that allows other people to see how they can be a part of making it happen,” she says. “Delegating successfully comes from the CEO learning about their own strengths and surrounding themselves with people who help fill in the gaps. And then it’s important to provide those people with the leadership development they need to create truly high-performance teams.”
Once that “aha” moment happens, Bartels says, CEOs often work to develop their teams and strengthen their leadership.
“The CEO of one of my groups recognized the company had a lot of people who knew how to build, but not how to lead people,” she says. “They invested in creating a leadership development program within the company that follows a curriculum geared toward emerging leaders. It’s already paying off. Employees in key positions throughout the company are skilled leaders who are learning about themselves and gaining the self-awareness to help the company be more productive.”
Improved productivity, retention and job satisfaction are key results of development done well.
“Right now, with The Great Resignation and talent shortage, CEOs have to step back and realize that they can’t continue to do what they’ve always done,” Bartels says. “Everybody who has been a part of these leadership development programs, sponsored by the CEO, has not only stayed with their companies but has become more engaged and more appreciative of the company’s commitment to their development.”
What happens if you develop a person so well that they’re poached by the competition?
“If you create a destination company, people will stay,” Quinn adds. “And even if they don’t, you’d rather have other people want your people than not. Continually challenge them, build a culture that inspires them.”
No one had approached professional development systemically at FlexGen before Brandt. While there was palpable excitement about it at the company, a healthy share of skepticism also prevailed.
“A lot of the folks have never had leadership or management training,” Brandt says. “They’re all capable people, and they’re asking themselves, ‘Why would I need this?’ I’m interested in seeing the self-realization that coaching and training are good for them.”
It is also good for the company, of course. Not only does professional development help identify the next generation of leaders within a company, but it also empowers employees to be better decision-makers in their existing roles. This is particularly important for helping to develop and retain individuals who excel in their roles, without promoting them out of the position in which they thrive.
“I’ve seen companies lose twice,” says Quinn. “First, they lose the sales rep who never needed to be a sales manager, and then, when they’re not performing, they lose them as a sales manager. How do we offer growth opportunities to someone who is unlikely to be promoted? How do we challenge them? If you’re going to be a destination organization, development is essential.”
Thinking differently about your talent ultimately helps the CEO with their own problem-solving, he says. “By developing their teams, CEOs learn that the diversity of perspective is important. You won’t have the richness of the diversity of opinion if you’re calling all the shots.”
Vistage Leadership Development Programs
How Decision-Making Has Changed Forever
Future-Proof Your Talent Attraction Strategies
7 CEO Leadership Styles and How to Develop Your Own
Coaching qualities like deep listening, emotional intelligence, and strategic accountability are the foundation of impactful executive coaching. These traits are what separate good coaches from great ones—and they’re the reason so many business leaders turn to coaching to grow.
One study found that executives with coaches had better revenue and more engaged employees. Another found that coaches help business leaders improve their leadership, self-confidence and self-awareness. Countless businesses, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, are hiring executive coaches and seeing results.
But what do great coaches bring to businesses? What coaching qualities make them so effective?
They have years of experience — successes, failures and everything in between — they use to guide business leaders through tough issues. Rather than lecturing, coaches listen, think, and ask thoughtful questions, allowing business leaders to grow without being forced in one direction. The best executive coaches do all of this selflessly, not for their own glory, but for the betterment of the business leader.
Below, we’ve compiled the 8 best executive coaching qualities.
One of the best executive coaching qualities around is conversational intelligence and the ability to actively listen to business leaders. These coaches focus on what business leaders are saying without interruption, then respond thoughtfully — they’re Socratic teachers rather than by-the-book lecturers. They give business leaders a unique perspective, one they could only get from someone who has years of their own experience, while allowing the business leaders to grow organically.
Coaches use their knowledge and experience to offer business leaders the chance to explore issues that may be stunting their potential.
An executive coach is akin to a football coach. A head football coach won’t be able to tell a quarterback how to move or where to throw the ball amid a hectic play.
But before the play, they can impart knowledge of what they’ve seen in similar situations to help improve the quarterback’s situational awareness. In turn, executive coaches can listen to a problem and tell a business leader what they’ve seen, discussing different ways the problem could be solved — one of the most valuable coaching qualities they bring to the table. Coaches can’t make decisions for the business leaders — just as football coaches can’t sub into the game for a quarterback — but coaches can guide them toward better thinking and decision-making.
Business leaders are often intelligent, logical people who excel at managing a business by data and theory. But many leaders find that the hardest part of running a business is managing people.
The best executive coaches have seen and experienced a range of interpersonal relationships, witnessing first-hand what makes people tick and how they work together. Coaches help business leaders better manage tricky interpersonal situations, as they’ve earned emotional intelligence that can only be won through experience.
The old axiom that “it’s lonely at the top” rings true for business leaders. They often aren’t comfortable sharing their issues with others, believing that their problems are too unique for others to understand or too private to divulge.
Coaches give business leaders a private, confidential space to speak about the challenges they often mull alone. They help business leaders see that others have experienced similar issues, allowing business leaders to get out of their own heads and look at their issues with a fresh perspective.
Experience is a powerful teacher — there are few better ways to learn than seeing if what you’ve tried succeeds or fails. The best executive coaches have a cadre of stories of their own experiences that they use to teach business leaders, helping them avoid some of the business world’s harsher failures.
While nothing can replace first-hand experience, an executive coach’s real-world experience can serve a map, giving business leaders a view of the paths toward success.
A business leader’s goals should always tie back to what’s best for the organization. Sometimes, business leaders know exactly what they want—often, they set goals that are too low, too lofty or at odds with other goals. Executive coaches can help them calibrate their goals to the business’s needs.
One of the best qualities of executive coaches is that they can help business leaders visualize these goals. They help leaders envision what will help the business thrive, mentally modeling what may happen. Then, coaches will be there for the business leader as they try to meet the goal, supporting them as they deal with obstacles and unexpected issues. Coaches will talk business leaders through tough times and hold them accountable to meet — and often exceed — their goals.
Great coaches don’t just provide insight; they ensure that leaders take action. Without accountability, even the most insightful coaching sessions can lead to great ideas that never turn into results.
Common challenge: Many leaders have blind spots or limiting beliefs that hold them back. Some resist difficult changes or delay tough decisions.
How great coaches help:
Having a goal is not enough — great coaches help leaders translate goals into a clear, step-by-step execution strategy.
The best coaches:
What do Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Warren Buffet all have in common? Aside from their riches and years of success, all are committed to reading and continuously learning.
Much like these hugely successful leaders, the best executive coaches never stop learning. Coaches are always reading, studying and speaking with other knowledgeable people so they can stay at the top of their game. The best executive coaches are eternally curious about business. This will help business leaders grow, as the desire to learn and thrive is contagious.
A coach’s mindset doesn’t just influence their approach — it directly impacts the success of the leaders they coach. The best coaches instill a belief in possibilities rather than limitations.
Optimism fuels breakthrough thinking
Common challenge: Many executives feel stuck when facing obstacles, focusing on problems instead of opportunities.
How great coaches help:
Growth mindset separates good from great coaches
Among the most impactful coaching qualities, a growth mindset stands out. While a fixed mindset assumes abilities and leadership potential are static, a growth mindset sees leadership skills as something that can always be developed.
Great coaches model a growth mindset by:
The best executive coaches see coaching as more than just a job — it’s a calling.
Executive coaches are fascinated by what makes businesses thrive, by how they can serve the executives whom they coach. They will ask a lot of questions and spend hours mulling ways they can help. For business leaders used to doing all of their thinking, planning, and goal-setting by themselves, this outside perspective can be a huge boon, leading to successes they had never before imagined.
Executives navigate high-pressure decisions, uncertainty, and setbacks — and a great coach helps them stay grounded, adaptable, and focused.
Coaches Teach Leaders How to Handle Pressure
Common challenge: Leaders often struggle with stress, burnout, and emotional reactivity.
How great coaches help:
Adaptability: The competitive edge in leadership
Common challenge: Leaders who resist change risk falling behind in fast-moving industries.
How great coaches help:
Across every example, it’s clear that coaching qualities like emotional resilience, adaptability, and deep listening are the foundation of transformational leadership support.
The Best Mentors Do These 5 Things
7 Traits You Need to Be a Good Mentor
