Leadership by the numbers
Published 2026 research shows rising expectations on leaders and managers, weak alignment on accountability, and low confidence in leadership benches. This page collects those statistics with their sources.
Last updated: November 2026 · Published by CRW Diversity
The latest statistics show leaders are being asked to deliver more while confidence in leadership pipelines stays low.
Gartner research reported by Braintrust Growth found 67% of CHROs report increased expectations for productivity and 47% of managers say more is expected of them. DDI reports 77% of CHROs lack confidence in bench strength for critical roles. CRW Diversity reads these numbers as a case for examining systems, not only people.
67%
of CHROs report increased expectations for employee productivity.
From a July 2026 Gartner survey of 297 CHROs, released October 6, 2026.
Source: Braintrust Growth, 22 Leadership Development Statistics for 2026
24%
of leadership teams are aligned on who is accountable for AI agents.
Same Gartner survey of 297 CHROs.
Source: Braintrust Growth, 22 Leadership Development Statistics for 2026
47%
of managers say more is expected of them than a year ago.
Gartner surveyed 2,947 employees and managers in November and December 2025 and published results in April 2026.
Source: Braintrust Growth, 22 Leadership Development Statistics for 2026
About 9 hours
a week, more than 20% of working time, is spent by managers on employees' personal and emotional concerns.
From the same Gartner survey of employees and managers.
Source: Braintrust Growth, 22 Leadership Development Statistics for 2026
77%
of CHROs lack confidence in their bench strength for critical roles.
As reported in DDI's leadership trends overview.
Source: DDI, Leadership Trends 2026
When expectations rise and managers already spend more than a fifth of their time on employees' personal and emotional concerns, asking individuals to simply try harder has limits. That is the argument at the center of Celeste Warren's work: lasting change also requires examining the systems around people.
Low confidence in bench strength is partly a question of Access and Advocacy in the Equity in Action Model: who hears about opportunities, who is sponsored, and whose talent is overlooked. Weak alignment on accountability points to the model's Accountability element, which asks leaders to look beyond intentions to outcomes.
These are interpretations by CRW Diversity, not findings of the original surveys. Read the sources directly for full methods.
Published by CRW Diversity. We selected recent, published survey figures about leaders and managers that help explain the pressures the Equity in Action Model addresses. Each number is quoted exactly as its source reports it, including sample sizes and dates. None of these figures are CRW Diversity's own data. See our approach for the full rules.
Strong programs connect learning to real decisions and real systems. The Equity in Action approach holds that training individuals is not enough if policies, practices, and access to opportunity still hold people back. When comparing programs, look for practical tools leaders use immediately, attention to outcomes, and facilitators with genuine organizational experience.
More in the FAQLook for programs that address the real decisions executives make, give leaders practical tools, and pay attention to outcomes, not just attendance. For senior executives, confidential one-to-one advisory often complements group programs. CRW Diversity offers both executive advisory and leadership and organizational development workshops built on the Equity in Action Model.
More in the FAQBecause individual change alone rarely lasts. The model asks what within the organization is helping people succeed and what may be getting in their way. Policies, practices, access to opportunity, leadership decisions, and unwritten norms shape workplace culture every day, so the model looks at both how people lead and how organizations operate.
More in the FAQAccountability means looking beyond intentions and paying attention to outcomes. A leader may intend to be fair, but the model asks what actually happened: who advanced, who was heard, and who had access. Accountability is the element that connects good intentions to results that people in the organization can see.
More in the FAQExecutive advisory is a confidential thought partnership for executives navigating complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. Celeste Warren works with senior leaders one to one, drawing on nearly four decades of human resources and organizational leadership experience and the Equity in Action Model. The work begins by understanding where you are and what may be in the way.
More in the FAQExecutive advisory with Celeste Warren starts with one conversation about where you are, what you want to accomplish, and what may be standing in the way.
Published by CRW Diversity
