Overview

Leadership expectations are rising — but the reality of leadership work is often more fragmented and complex than strategy frameworks suggest.

This leadership nano report brings together the most relevant insights from two Aurora Live leadership studies, based on surveys with senior decision-makers across industries and countries in Europe. It condenses extensive research into a short, accessible snapshot designed for leaders who want clarity without noise.

The report explores leadership from two complementary angles. First, it looks at how leaders navigate organisational complexity: increasing collaboration, slower decision-making, limited strategic time, and shifting talent challenges. While leadership is becoming more cross-functional, accountability and decision ownership often lag behind. Most leaders spend the bulk of their time on people management and execution, leaving less room for long-term thinking.

The second part focuses on how leaders work day to day. It examines focus, productivity habits, work setups, and the use of AI tools. The findings show that performance depends less on location and more on clarity and coordination. Focus has become a scarce resource, disrupted by constant context switching and meeting overload. To cope, leaders rely heavily on personal systems such as time blocking and planning, while organisational support remains limited.