The economic and geopolitical uncertainty of the last 12 months has increased focus on driving real and measurable impact. I think this is a great thing. It drives deep curiosity into how we’re doing things and makes us constantly ask if there’s a better way.

It also means that being able to engage and influence different people has never been more important, particularly in the complex B2B businesses that we work with. Boards and executive teams are scrutinising business decisions even more closely, needing to understand the value that they will create before investment is approved. 

This means leaders need to be able to engage and influence decision-makers inside and outside their business to get things done. Understanding who you need to influence, clearly articulating your direction and explaining why it matters will be a key part of any successful leader’s strategy in the year ahead.