MWW Group Survey of Business Leaders Defines Leadership Qualities 2025: Nimble, Anticipatory & Innovative

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In times where change is the only constant, an overwhelming number of senior executives (86 percent) say that being nimble and anticipatory, along with innovative and possessing strong character are the most important qualities for leaders in 2025, according to one of the nation's leading public relations firms, MWW Group's (http://www.mww.com), sustainable leadership survey.  Surprisingly, the more common leadership qualities such as being a consensus builder, convener and great salesmanship fell to the wayside with only 14 percent of respondents agreeing that these are the most important qualities.

When asked about the biggest game changers in leadership today, executives surveyed indicated that the speed of information, and its requirement for timely, transparent information were the greatest drivers of change, with approximately one-third of respondents.  The need for speed outranked commonly cited topics impacting leadership including the lack of trust, the economy, globalization and managing talent across multiple generations in the workforce.  

Moreover, executives surveyed felt that in today's business environment, visionary leaders (56 percent) are needed more so than decisive and action-oriented leaders (44 percent). And despite the plethora of leadership books, courses and tutorials, respondents felt overwhelmingly (68 percent) that great leaders are born to be leaders – and find opportunities to lead, rather than being taught to lead.

"Based on our survey results, gone are the days where people are seeking a leader who simply embodies great salesmanship and builds consensus among its followers," said Michael W. Kempner, president and CEO of MWW Group.  "In today's global world, and due to the perfect storm of economic crisis, unprecedented competition and limited access to capital that we've all experienced in recent years, people are longing for leaders who can anticipate, rather than react, and use that ability to provide true vision for their Companies. Leaders don't just need to make us feel good, they need to help us be good."

Kempner added, "Today, leadership is not about position or authority.  In fact, leadership today has been democratized, meaning that the power is now with the people who follow.  This requires a paradigm shift in how we communicate with our stakeholders and most importantly, it means leaders who are looking to win the war for talent, market share and global competitiveness, are forced to become better communicators with greater transparency and one-to-one dialogue."

Additional findings from MWW Group's sustainable leadership survey:

• Twenty-eight percent of executives say leadership has been democratized.  A mere five percent of respondents place the power of leadership within the position – automatically conferred upon assuming a role
• Twenty-six percent said the economy has created a daily 'fight for survival' that impedes the ability to plan and invest for the future
• Interestingly, only seventeen percent declared globalization and increased competition as game-changing for today's leaders

About the Sustainable Leadership Survey

More than 130 global executives attending the World Business Forum, the leading international symposium for the business community, were surveyed on approaches to leadership that enable companies to remain competitive in all phases of the business cycle. The purpose of the survey was to gauge their thoughts on what qualifies sustainable leadership and the leadership values that today's executives admire the most.

About MWW Group

MWW Group is one of the nation's leading public relations agencies and is known for its results-driven approach to public relations and "Aim High. Deliver" commitment to client service. For four years in a row, MWW Group was honored with the #1 ranking in the Holmes Report agency client satisfaction survey. MWW Group achieved top rankings in the categories of account leadership, strength of account team, creativity, strategy and planning, and program execution. In 2008, MWW Group was named PR Agency of the Year by The American Business Awards and Mid-size PR Firm of the Year by PR News, in recognition of the firm's growth, strategic account leadership and industry-leading employee retention. MWW Group is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). 

SOURCE MWW Group