The imperative for collaboration, connection and innovation: Leadership takeaways from Davos 2025

The theme for this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, ‘Collaboration For an Intelligent Age’, was singularly apt for the assembled leaders seeking ways to navigate a time of rapid, seismic change. Davos retains its relevance exactly because it provides an opportunity for CEOs and other leaders from across the world and a broad spectrum of industries to come together in search of solutions to the biggest issues. Davos is built on a collective desire, across the board and across borders, to reinforce connections between organisations attending the forum.

The ability to unite in a common mindset is vital at a time when multifaceted tensions – political, military, economic – in all corners of the globe are having an immediate, unavoidable impact on organisations’ decision-making, and the ways they get things done. Geopolitics isn’t context anymore: it is a real time factor in how business works. Many CEOs are confronting these realities for the first time in their professional lives. The ability to collaborate, seek out support in areas where their expertise is lacking, and bring together the right people to address each challenge has become an even more vital skillset for today’s leadership. In the ecosystems they create, and in harnessing the power of others, they should strive to be what we have defined as a connecting leader. 

In the age of intelligence, where innovation is the lifeblood of business, leaders must be prepared to adapt and iterate at pace, envisioning the future, mapping pathways to achieving it, and delivering outcomes. Innovation may take the form of tech design and adoption, restructuring of organisations to adapt to new, technology-driven working practices, the launch of new business strategies, or changing talent requirements to meet new challenges. And Leaders have to be equipped to address all of it. 

Innovation leadership includes having a strong sense of purpose – and the courage to do things differently to fulfil that purpose. Curiosity and an openness to ongoing education are essential attributes that make an effective leader for today’s change-driven organisations. These leaders need to be strategic, have foresight, a growth mindset, and resilience. 

It’s not just about the qualifications and qualities of leaders – it’s also about how they lead. Energising teams, while enabling people to think and work independently, helps businesses meet the demands of rapid, ongoing change. To achieve this means being a both a servant leader and an active leader. Without assuming they have all the answers, leaders must lead with foresight and optimism. And, like in any high-pressure environment, humor is essential 

One area in which innovation is accelerating, and change leadership skills are most needed, is the implementation of AI. No longer a theoretical possibility, leaders are viewing artificial intelligence as a practical opportunity. It is being aligned with business goals, with Heidrick’s research showing that in 2024, 82% of executives with AI or machine learning responsibilities were directly included in forming business strategy. The AI function is embedded in businesses, consulting with finance; legal, compliance and risk; marketing and customer engagement; and HR. 

Functional AI tools have already been developed – although some are better than others. Assessing the user cases, establishing if there is meaningful ROI in terms of cost cutting, productivity increases and revenue growth, is a work in progress. What is lacking, however, is the willingness, or ability, to cross the AI adoption gap.

Businesses are putting applications and training in place, but their people aren’t universally using them. This is where innovative, collaborative, connecting leaders can make a significant impact for their organisations. Bridging the gap between the promise of AI and its practical implementation is not a pure technological challenge, but one of skills, culture and leadership. The adoption gap has made AI a cultural conversation.

This marks a new phase in AI’s evolution. There is a direct line of sight from AI implementation to all elements of an organisation’s culture. To enable widespread adoption, there needs to be a shift in mindset, actively seeking ways to incorporate this incredibly powerful technological muscle into the day to day by reshaping business culture.

To achieve this, first and foremost, leaders need to educate themselves on the benefits and possibilities of AI within their organisations. They need to know what AI could mean for them as part of the C-suite. They must be clear how the implementation of AI across the business is useful and desirable, and where the AI function and expertise sits within it. They have to state the parameters of its implementation, emphasise that it is an enabling tool, and demonstrate the expectation that their colleagues and employees will put AI through its paces.

Another cultural element is the generational factors at work within the adoption gap, with the younger generations of the workforce often more comfortable using AI tools than the leaders themselves. This creates an opportunity for reverse mentoring and training, with senior colleagues being open to accepting guidance from those with greater aptitude for the technology.

Leaders need to recognise that where AI is concerned, cultural change has to underpin technological change, because that cultural change and organisational design will underpin growth. For these reasons, strong, capable and thoughtful leadership will continue to come together at forums such as Davos to engage, reinforce connections, and share solutions. It is empowering, and reassuring, for those at the top to know they are not leading within a vacuum, but can collaborate with their peers to find the best solutions.

The challenges that face organisations in the age of intelligence are exactly those which we at Heidrick support our clients to solve on a day to day basis. If you would like to explore further, please get in touch.