The uncommon sense of MESSY leadership

2020 was challenging, so how did leaders and organizations react? This research outlines how leaders' mindsets changed for success.
March 25, 2025

2020 changed the world. The COVID-19 pandemic forced mass lock downs across the globe, causing economic volatility at a level not seen since the Great Depression. Businesses reacted quickly, closing offices and requiring thousands of employees to work from home. In many industries, revenues dried up. Demand for oil slumped.

For leaders, 2020 was messy. Without a way to predict the future, let alone what would happen in the following week, leaders were challenged by unprecedented rapid, continuous change. This meant leaders needed to respond to new issues more quickly than conventional logic would say is possible, and deal with a new level of emotions from nearly all their employees, ranging from fear to stress, anxiety, and deep sadness.

So how did leaders and organizations react?

Get the report

Related content

Whitepapers
February 13, 2023
5
min read

The power and impact of executive presence

The Bates ExPI™, based upon the model, helps leaders understand their own profile and individual path to growing their influence and impact.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

Whitepapers
October 4, 2023
5
min read

TL&L community – Leveraging AI in learning and development

Peter Mulford, Global Partner and CIO, discusses how AI works, how organizations can integrate the tool for L&D professionals.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript

Whitepapers
September 10, 2021
5
min read

4 ways to make behavioral change stick

More than 7,800 businesses globally use simulations as part of their training. Why? Learn the 4 reasons simulations are so effective.

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5
Heading 6

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Block quote

Ordered list

  1. Item 1
  2. Item 2
  3. Item 3

Unordered list

  • Item A
  • Item B
  • Item C

Text link

Bold text

Emphasis

Superscript

Subscript