71% of senior executives say it now takes up to 9 months to feel fully effective in their C-suite role ⏳
That is not an onboarding delay, but nearly a full year of strategic drag at the top
Green Park's C-Suite Priorities 2026 report, drawn from 14,000 C-suite executives & NEDs across 50 countries, lays out a paradox every board should sit with
Growth is back on the agenda:
🔹 74% of senior executives expect revenue growth over the next 3 years
🔹 50% forecast 10–40% growth
🔹 24% expect 40–100%
And yet the capability gap underneath that ambition is widening🔻
⚠️ Only 4% of executives believe 91–100% of their workforce has the skills needed to deliver on business objectives
⚠️ 35% say they are not prepared at all to scale AI, automation or agentic workflows
⚠️ 33% of CTOs are reported as NOT meeting expectations, the highest shortfall across the C-suite
⚠️ 43% of senior leaders believe their remuneration does not adequately reflect the complexity of their role
⚠️ 41% say underperformance is addressed only slightly or not at all
Growth ambitions are colliding with 3 uncomfortable realities:
1️⃣ Executive onboarding is broken
9 months to full effectiveness is not a badge of complexity, it's a signal that organisations are under-investing in transition support at the exact moment leaders need it the most
2️⃣ The C-suite is uneven
CEOs, COOs & Commercial Officers are largely delivering
CTOs, CDOs & AI Officers are not
That mismatch is where AI ambition quietly dies
3️⃣ Retention is no longer a pay❓
As James Gilding puts it: "leaders stay when they feel heard, when their expertise shapes decisions, and when culture invests in their development"
🚨The uncomfortable truth for boards: You cannot deliver a 3-year growth plan with a leadership team that takes 9 months to reach full effectiveness
👉🏼 what if you could compress their time-to-effectiveness by +50%?
But don't take my word for it, take it from a VP promoted to SVP in only 7 months:
"What sets Navid apart starts before the first conversation. The Hogan Assessments gave him a way to speak to dimensions of myself I was either very aware of — or not aware of at all. From there, his approach is unlike anything I've experienced. He listens deeply first, then brings in research & frameworks that reinforce what we've discussed & finally offers a thoughtful blend of coaching, advisory & mentorship — one that's shaped to fit you, not a generic playbook. You feel the preparation; but you never feel the formula. What I valued most was how connected his guidance was to what I actually wanted to build — not just my career, but the leadership style I believe in. He respected my direction from day one & pushed me when he felt it was necessary — which is exactly when I needed it. I came in a skeptic. I left a convert. Genuinely one of the most useful & impactful professional executive coaching experiences I've had"
#CSuitePriorities2026 #ExecutiveTransitions #TransitionIQ
About Navid Nazemian
Ranked as the world’s #1 Executive Coach by CEO Today for the third year running, I partner with senior leaders to navigate complexity, accelerate performance, and lead through critical transitions. Over the past two decades, I’ve supported hundreds of executives in overcoming unproductive thinking and solving their most complex leadership challenges—helping their organizations build world-class cultures and create lasting value.
If you’d like to reflect on a leadership challenge, an upcoming transition, or how I might support you, you’re very welcome to reply directly to this email.
You can also:
1. Connect with me on LinkedIn for additional leadership insights
2. Explore my international best-selling book "Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide" described by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith as “THE ultimate guide to executive transitions to help leaders achieve their highest potential”
3. Enrol in my newly launched e-Learning programme Mastering Leadership Transitions - my transition methodology in a self-paced format for leaders at every level
4. Work with me on a per-session basis via EveryExpert - a flexible alternative to a full coaching engagement, starting with a complimentary 15-minute Chemistry Call
What's Next? More insights on leadership, transitions, and executive effectiveness are coming your way next week. I’d genuinely value your perspective—feel free to share your reflections by replying to this email. I read every response.
Navid
