A new survey investigates how individual leaders lead and how that has changed in the past year.¹ For example, respondents say that during the crisis they have seen far more leaders focus on monitoring individual performance—even though they see that as one of the least helpful ways of managing the crisis. The survey also asked about the organizational capabilities and leadership behavior organizations will need to thrive during the recovery and about the ways companies are approaching employee development and gender diversity in the crisis.

The kinds of leadership behavior that executives say will most help their companies through the current crisis, such as inspiring others and defining expectations and rewards, are the same ones they say will help their companies thrive in the future. The executives’ assessment of what’s needed for the long term hasn’t changed over the past year. It is notable that these kinds of leadership behavior are the ones most used by women, who also have the greatest influence on many of the organizational capabilities executives agree are important for companies now and in the future, such as having inspiring leaders and a clear direction for companies. In that context, it’s good news that a majority of the respondents say their companies have not cut back on programs to recruit, retain, and develop women. However, this news is tempered by the finding that only a third of the respondents consider gender diversity to be among their companies’ top ten priorities and that relatively few are taking any specific actions to promote it.