When you read about today’s corporate leaders, what do you feel? Anxiety? Disappointment? Stress? You’re not alone. A 2020 McKinsey study revealed that 87% of executives feel pressured to prioritize short-term profits over long-term value. The average Fortune 500 CEO tenure has shrunk to just 5 years, fueling a culture of short-termism. Worse, only 11% of companies have strong leadership pipelines, and trust in CEOs has plummeted to 41% (down from 49% in 2012). Add to this the staggering fact that 87% of employees are disengaged at work.
The leadership crisis is real—and growing.
Over the past decade, I’ve witnessed this gap widen, from Fortune 500s to startups. Early in my career, I was fortunate to learn from values-driven leaders who inspired purpose, resilience, and integrity. Decisions were thoughtful, risks were calculated, and the greater good always came first. There were no shortcuts.
Today, we live in a dopamine-driven world where incentives dictate behavior, and consistency is rare. Yet, there’s hope. Leaders like Satya Nadella and Jacinda Ardern prove that values-based leadership can thrive, even in turbulent times.
That's why I launched Leadership Sherpa: to restore integrity, passion, and purpose to corporate leadership. To combat the self-centric model dominating our future.
Join me. Let's rebuild leadership, one person at a time. Let's make a difference.
Thank you.
Arshad