News

The 24% leadership advantage no one talks about

Oct. 16, 2025

In this piece, Otto Sonnenholzner, former Vice-President of Ecuador, and Eva McLellan, Country President and General Manager at Roche Slovenia, reflect on their leadership experiences during moments of national and organizational turbulence. Drawing on these lessons, they outline what they call “integrated leadership on the edge” – a framework for navigating complexity and division. Combining two contrasting styles of leadership can achieve what they have identified as a 24% increase in effectiveness.

… Balancing these two forces may seem paradoxical, but it is a learnable leadership practice, and it proves to be highly effective. Research by Unlocking Eve, in collaboration with the Leadership Circle, spanning 20,000 leaders across 69 countries, reveals that those who integrate both autonomous strength and relational capacities demonstrate 24% higher leadership effectiveness.

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Be Authentic by Sticking to Your Principles

Jan. 10, 2025

The ability to be authentic goes to the core of a key principle of leadership, says Aliza Licht, New York-based founder of brand strategy consulting firm Leave Your Mark and author of “On Brand.” “Being a good leader is really challenging if you don’t have the trust of your team,” Licht said. “And authenticity builds trust.”

Great leaders are honest, true to themselves and transparent, Licht says. Not only will that build authenticity but it will motivate the rest of your team to operate by those same values. “One of the biggest mistakes a leader can make is when they do not create a safe environment for employees to be truthful,” she said.

Authenticity has proved to be a vital trait to becoming a successful leader, says Bill Adams, co-founder and CEO of Salt Lake City, Utah-based consulting and coaching firm the Leadership Circle and author of “Scaling Leadership.”

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True Search and Leadership Circle Partner To Deliver Innovative Succession and Talent Assessment and Search Solutions

April 23, 2024

True, the only tech and data-first global talent platform, today announced its partnership with Leadership Circle, a leading global provider of executive coaching, assessments, and advisory services. This collaboration marks a significant step for both companies’ ability to empower organizations across the globe to find and develop leaders.

“We help the most innovative companies recruit the right talent to drive their visions, and Leadership Circle understands, assesses and drives leadership effectiveness better than anyone,” said Joe Riggione, True co-CEO and co-founder. “Our companies are both data-centric and aligned in our determination to provide comprehensive executive talent search and succession management solutions to clients.”

Too Many Leaders Fear Their Younger Co-Workers. Here’s What They Should Do Instead

By Bill Adams, Jan. 18, 2024

Retirement just isn’t what it used to be. Many executives 65 and older are choosing to work for longer—and they are being asked to stay. One reason executives are being asked to delay retirement is because companies are afraid of change and they are ill-prepared for change. Retirement-aged executives are among the most valuable assets to a company, but with little succession planning, older leaders can also create the most volatile departures.

Right now, leaders have an opportunity to develop cross-generational C-suites, and I believe companies that don’t invest in younger leaders will make the same mistakes over and over again, and hurt their chances at longevity. Here’s why leaders should embrace, rather than fear, their younger coworkers.

Bill Adams Appears on Yahoo! Finance Live (starts at 2:17:00)

Dec. 19, 2023

CEO and Co-Founder Bill Adams joins Rachelle Akuffo and Akiko Fujita to discuss C-suite succession plans in 2024, trends we’re seeing in how leaders think about social activism and weighing in on public issues, and the future of work as it relates to how leaders are approaching returning to the office and hybrid work.

You can watch the segment in its entirety or jump ahead to Bill’s interview, which begins at 2:17:00.

Why Companies Are Tapping the Boardroom for Their Next CEO

Dec. 1, 2023

FTSE companies hunting for their next chief executive may not need to look further than their own boardroom.

Consumer goods group Unilever, retailer John Lewis, financial services provider Hargreaves Lansdown and telecoms operator BT have in the past year all appointed a CEO who was already a non-executive director on their board.

At a time of geopolitical and economic uncertainty it seems that when it comes to leadership, company chairs and their colleagues believe it is better the devil you know.

Cohesion Podcast: “Why Every Employee Should Be a Leader” with Betsy Leatherman

Nov. 14, 2023

This episode features an interview with Betsy Leatherman, global president of consulting services at Leadership Circle. Betsy has 10 years of experience transforming executives and middle managers into exceptional leaders. In her current role, Betsy helps clients become more effective leaders so they can make decisions that engage and motivate members of their organizations and customers they serve.

In this episode, Amanda and Betsy discuss leadership development, common mistakes leaders make during layoffs, and the two leadership orientations.

Leadership Circle Launches 2023 Steward the Planet Campaign

Oct. 3, 2023

DRAPER, UTAH – Premier leadership assessment and development firm Leadership Circle today launched its annual Steward the Planet campaign, raising funds to protect terrestrial rainforests in the Amazon region of Brazil and mangrove forests along the coast of Costa Rica.

“In all great traditions, there is a moral imperative that we are caretakers, guardians, stewards of this planet,” says Leadership Circle Co-Founder and Chief Knowledge Officer Bob Anderson. “As we have grown in population, the need for that has become more and more self-evident—and we are not doing it.

As leaders in the world and as leaders in the leadership space, it is incumbent upon us to take the lead, be examples, and do all we can. Future generations depend on what we do now.”

A Developmental Approach to CEO Succession

Oct. 1, 2023

Experience, competency, and capability are the familiar domains of consideration in leadership succession, but it’s the character-based dimensions of talent readiness that make or break successful leadership transitions.

When traditional succession planning is augmented as a more strategic lever in talent identification and development, its impacts go well beyond the typical risk management lens through which it is often viewed. Opportunities emerge to truly nurture the top talent in an organization, amplifying loyalty and impact of succession talent on the inside.

Leadership Circle Announces Partnership With Unlocking Eve To Promote Life-Saving Qualities of Integrated Leadership

Sept. 20, 2023

DRAPER, UTAH – Leadership Circle, the leadership development company that assesses, coaches, and develops some of the world’s most impactful business leaders and teams, today announced their partnership with Unlocking Eve, an organization dedicated to bringing an integrated and inclusive approach to health care leadership to secure the health of the world’s citizens. The partnership is established under both organizations’ common goal to change the world through development of effective leadership.

Suzanne Kietselaer named Most Influential Adult Development Expert & Top Executive Coach for 2023

Aug. 16, 2023

DRAPER, UTAH – Global leadership consulting firm Leadership Circle today announced that principal and Global Solutions Lead for Enterprise Coaching Suzanne Kietselaer was named Most Influential Adult Development Expert and Top Executive Coach as part of the 2023 Influential Businesswoman Awards.

Three Keys To Shift Your Leadership Mindset

By Alain Hunkins, July 27, 2023

What’s keeping CEOs up at night?

As Development Dimensions International (DDI) shares in their newly released 2023 Global Leadership Forecast, it’s the fragility of their workforce. Amid all the uncertainty around digital transformation, AI, and a potential global recession, they worry most about their people. Their top three concerns are:

1. Attracting and retaining top talent
2. Developing the next generation of leaders
3. Maintaining an engaged workforce

Fragile aptly captures the mood of the workforce and the state of leadership today. As a leader, have you been feeling particularly stretched thin lately? You’re in good company, and your people are noticing.

Interested in great leadership? Invest in new leaders

By Betsy Leatherman, July 24, 2023

In a year already defined by tightening budgets and mass layoffs across a number of industries, companies may feel wary about directing their limited resources and energy into leadership development initiatives. However, investing in new leaders can position companies to fortify company culture, improve employee retention, identify new opportunities for growth and build financial resilience.

Every employee fills a gap in an organization, and by investing in new leaders from within, companies are equipping their workforce to expand their scope of understanding and responsibility, enhance their skill sets and embrace their role in moving the organization forward.

Should you offer unlimited time off? 8 pros and cons

By Carolyn Heinze, June 21, 2023

Offering unlimited time off can help retain employees, but the benefit does come with some disadvantages, including the potential difficulty of implementing the program. HR leaders should work with other company leaders to consider whether the vacation option is right for their organization.

An unlimited time-off program could improve employee experience and helps company leaders show that they understand that employees’ parenting or caretaking could benefit from vacation flexibility. However, employees may not take as much paid time off (PTO) if their company does not follow a “use it or lose it” policy, and the dividing line between sick leave and vacation may become difficult to discern.

The Importance of Leadership Training During a Recession

By Bill Adams, June 1, 2023

Companies fearing yet another economic downturn are rightfully nervous to overspend. Maybe in a different era, executives could save money by cutting back on a few company perks or employee benefits, but that’s no longer a viable solution. Today, people have more options that give them the freedom to move around in their careers. The best people, and especially leaders, are all free agents; they can go anywhere they want. This is especially true of the best leaders, making them more inclined to choose companies that do more than provide a paycheck. They want to work for companies that invest in them.

6 Rules for a Successful Internship in an Uncertain Moment

By S. Mitra Kalita, May 23, 2023

Hiring freezes and budget cuts have led to a somewhat muted, cautious approach to hiring interns this summer. That’s unfortunate, because both sides—employer and talent—need these tryouts with each other more than ever.

With an eye toward this uncertainty, I asked a half-dozen professionals to offer some guidance and advice with an eye toward what interns and employers actually can control in this moment of uncertainty.

5 Mistakes Leaders Make That Costs Companies Top Talent

By Bill Adams, April 26, 2023

If there is one important lesson from The Great Resignation, it’s that top talent can go wherever they want. We are now dealing with free agents more than ever before and they vote for or against culture and leadership with where they choose to work. And why shouldn’t they? Some of us are spending 40, 50, even 60 or more hours of our waking time every week at this thing called work. It’s got to give back to us in ways that are meaningful beyond money.

New Research: Women More Effective Than Men In All Leadership Measures

By Kevin Kruse, March 31, 2023

In 2023, for the first time in history, women CEOs lead about 10% of Fortune 500 companies. This is undoubtedly an important milestone. But it also underscores the need for more women at all levels of leadership.

And this is not just about representation. Women leaders are good for business.

Tech layoffs: Yes, there’s a better way to fire people. Is Big Tech doing it? No way.

By Alexandra Garfinkle, March 29, 2023

Big Tech has already laid off more than 150,000 workers in 2023. In some ways, it’s the same old story. These companies are not only firing folks — they’re not using HR-friendly ways to do it. Yahoo Finance spoke with six experts, and they all agreed – the methods by which Big Tech is laying its workers off are big “don’ts” in the world of human resources.

CEO of the Year

By Mekenna Malan, March 20, 2023

Each year, Utah Business celebrates Utah’s most accomplished professionals—the CEOs who have led their organizations with strength, courage, and endurance, and who have made it their mission to change the way we do business in Utah. Congratulations to this year’s honorees, including Leadership Circle CEO and Co-Founder Bill Adams.

3 ways to set better boundaries at work

By Suzanne Kietselaer, February 28, 2023

Leaders not only shape company standards but company culture. They’re expected to consider their organization’s goals when establishing office policies, but also should consider employees’ needs when building office environments. Balancing this organizational awareness and otherawareness makes it hard not to develop a hero’s mentality when addressing everyone’s interests in a company ecosystem.

If this much responsibility is placed on a leader’s shoulders, what happens when they burn out? It’s simple: Everyone burns out with them.

Half of Black workers want to quit—here’s what companies can do better

By Mikaela Cohen, February 28, 2023

Workers are unhappy as layoff fears continue to loom, work-from-home flexibility is on the fritz, and there are continued battles for pay transparency.

But it seems Black workers are among the most unhappy, with 49% of those surveyed saying that they want to quit their jobs, according to a recent Indeed report. The reasons why Black workers are considering leaving their jobs include pay transparency issues, misalignment of personal values with company values, and wanting a more diverse leadership team.

Change Management Veteran Jake Jacobs To Head New Transformation Practice

February 6, 2023

DRAPER, UTAH – Leadership Circle, a global leader in business leadership development, today named Jake Jacobs as practice lead for the organization’s new transformation service line. This transformation practice will focus on utilizing leadership to guide fundamental and strategic shifts in business organizations responding to today’s changing technology and customer pressures.

Creating conditions to thrive

February 1, 2023

When businesspeople cite the attributes they consider most valuable in a leader, the responses are widely consistent, according to Mark Burrell, APAC managing director of leadership advisory firm Leadership Circle.

Companies need to increase salary transparency or workers will quit

By Mikaela Cohen, December 4, 2022

“When a company has pay transparency at all levels, it becomes a driver and motivator for people to stay with those employers, because workers won’t feel like their company is holding anything back from them,” says Aaronde Creighton, chief diversity officer at the Leadership Circle, a business leadership development firm.

350+ Sessions Announced for the 2023 SXSW Conference

By Jordan Roberts, October 25, 2022

Announcing over 350 sessions curated from our global community and spanning the world’s of tech, film, music, and beyond, each of which will ignite conversation and collaboration at SXSW 2023. (Cue the cinematic score and commence your programming journey into 2023: A SXSW Odyssey.)

Congratulations to our Chief Diversity Officer, Aaronde Seckou Creighton, for being chosen as a panel speaker on the topic: Brand POV in a Crisis: Speak Out or Shut the F Up?

The New Rules: How Leaders Are Becoming Flexible In Times Of Crisis

By Gary Drenik, October 11, 2022

A company’s mistakes are discussed in more places than in the boardroom or by the water cooler. Errors in leadership have become public spectacles. Netflix, CNN+, Robinhood, and countless others have fallen short not only in their business models but their reputations as functioning organizations.

I sat down with Bill Adams, the CEO, co-founder, and chairperson of Leadership Circle, a company that equips leaders with the tools and methodology to integrate best practices in their line of work. We discussed how the rules have changed in the workplace and why executives must adapt quickly. He shared examples of leaders who have gone above and beyond in times of crisis and what qualities are needed today to navigate a complex labor market.

8 Ways HR Can Overcome Pushback During the Return to the Office

By Arlene S. Hirsch, July 6, 2022

“Leaders who work by a double standard send the message that they only care about themselves and that their employees don’t matter,” said Cynthia Adams, global president of products, certification and community at Leadership Circle, a Utah-based consulting firm. “If [employees feel] they don’t matter, they start looking for a new job,” she added.

When the push for ‘cultural fit’ creates a DEI blindspot

By Aaronde Seckou Creighton, June 26, 2022

When you’re hiring new candidates, how much do you prioritize cultural fit? Your answer to this question may depend on whether you’d consider your company’s culture a broth or a gumbo.

The pandemic has redefined leadership at every level. Meet the new, hybrid leader

By Betsy Leatherman, May 23, 2022

At the onset of the pandemic, many couldn’t grasp how much our lives would be upended by COVID-19. Absent a guidebook, most resorted to freestyling, with varying degrees of effectiveness. Managers eager to master this new work-from-home world were driven to work faster, increase efficiency, and strive for something “better.” It didn’t work.

Layoffs on Zoom: Is there a better way?

By Michelle Ma, May 15, 2022

Others disagree. A former Better.com executive described that company’s Zoom layoffs as “barbaric” and “inhumane.” Large Zoom calls aren’t the right approach to layoffs, according to that exec. Betsy Leatherman, global president of Consulting Services for Leadership Circle, an executive coaching and assessment company, agreed. Instead, companies should either let workers know in groups of five or 10, or hold one-on-one meetings over the course of a couple of hours. “It would be an hour and a half or two hours of chaos,” Leatherman said. “But I bet you could do that.”

30 Executives’ Perspectives On Remote, Hybrid, And In-Office Work

By Jackson Weimer, May 13, 2022

Whether you’re a manager at a company with 3,000 employees or three, something that leaders across industries have learned in the past two years is that giving employees more flexibility is key to retention and recruiting of new hires…Betsy Leatherman, Global President, Consulting Services at Leadership Circle – Every leader I’m talking to is thinking of everything in terms of giving their employees flexibility. At the same time, they want employees to maintain their personal boundaries. People were working super late or super early during the pandemic. They got burnt out far too often. I was recently in some in-person strategy sessions on a business trip and by the time I was home a few hours later, I had processed what happened before I got home. Usually, when I get off a Zoom at home, I don’t have time to really transition from strategy mode to mom mode.

Don’t be Carvana: How to do a mass layoff

By Alison Levitsky, May 13, 2022

… Betsy Leatherman, global president of Consulting Services for Leadership Circle, an executive coaching and assessment company, said she would avoid mass Zoom layoffs “at all costs.” Instead, Leatherman said managers should notify employees directly. “It would be an hour and a half or two hours of chaos,” Leatherman said. “But I bet you could do that.” Even laying off employees in groups of five or 10 is far better than telling dozens or hundreds of them at once, Leatherman said.

INC: An Applebee’s Exec Just Sent an Email That the Company Was Quick to Disavow

By Minda Zetlin  March 27, 2022

Wayne Pankratz, a top executive at an Applebee’s franchise chain, sent a blast email to his colleagues this month crowing that rising gas prices were an “advantage” for the chain. He reasoned that cash-strapped people would have no choice but to take food-service jobs, even if the chain lowered its wages, which he encouraged his colleagues to do… There’s an us-versus-them view of employees that permeates Pankratz’s email. And he’s not alone. Leadership Circle’s Bill Adams noted in a recent Inc.com interview that too many managers think of employees as a necessary means to an end, rather than as the fabric of the organization they’re leading.

Fast Company: Inflation is rising, but your salary probably won’t. Here’s why

By Shalene Gupta March 23, 2022

Food prices are up, rent prices are up, and gas prices are so high that Uber and Lyft drivers are considering quitting. Inflation is 7.5%, the highest it’s been since 1982. Yet it’s unlikely that wages will rise correspondingly… Amy Felix Reese, the COO of leadership development company Leadership Circle, says her clients are also exploring ways to improve employee’s work experience by offering flexibility and trying to create a better working environment.

INC: If You Believe Any of These 5 Things, You’re a Worse Leader Than You Think

By Minda Zetlin  March 20, 2022

What makes someone an effective leader? The best are creative rather than reactive, says Bill Adams, co-founder and CEO of leadership development company Leadership Circle. That’s the finding from a recent study the company did of 2,506 CEOs. “Creative leaders lead with vision and measure how results are achieved, not simply that they are achieved,” Adams explains. “Reactive leaders emphasize caution over creating results and self-protection over engagement.”

UTAH BUSINESS: Leadership Circle raises $20M

By Press Release  February 16, 2022

Salt Lake City —Leadership Circle, the leadership development company that assesses, coaches, and develops some of the world’s most impactful business leaders and teams, today announced a $20M financing round with RF Investment Partners.

FORTUNE: Jeff Zucker’s loyalty to CNN’s Chris Cuomo shows why bosses and workers can’t be friends

By JANE THIER February 16, 2022, 2:35 PM MST

Betsy Leatherman, Global President Consulting Services for Leadership Circle, asked to comment on setting boundaries and navigating friendships at the top levels of organizations. “Bosses and top employees have to think together, strategize together, and be aligned around the business,” she says. “Oftentimes, that feels like friendship, but you can’t let loyalty lead to breaking integrity and boundaries.”