New research from Insights reveals how leadership behaviour impacts productivity

More than two in five leaders (44%) whose behaviour was seen as becoming more negative during significant organisational change appeared to be unaware that it had changed, according to our new global research with 880 HR and people leaders across 11 markets.

The Global Change Readiness Report found that four in five senior HR and people leaders (81%) observed senior executives behaving differently during their organisation’s most recent significant change. Most described the change positively overall, with 63% reporting more positive behaviour. Moreover, 83% of leaders whose behaviour appeared to shift in a positive direction were seen as aware of the change.

However, a positive overall rating in leader behaviour did not rule out individual negative behaviours. Across all six negative behaviours examined, each was observed in around one in five of the leaders rated positively overall – almost exactly the same rate as among leaders rated negatively overall.

The research highlights the following - reduced collaboration across teams (22%), less tolerance for differing opinions (20%), increased conflict within leadership teams (20%), avoidance of difficult conversations (20%), faster unilateral decision-making (20%) and reduced transparency in communication (20%).

Leadership behaviour was strongly associated with how the organisation performed during change. Where productivity increased, 74% of respondents observed leaders behaving more positively, and only 14% observed more negative leader behaviour. In organisations where productivity decreased, the proportion observing more negative leadership behaviour doubled to 28%.

Only a third of organisations use leadership development tools consistently

The findings also expose a gap in how organisations prepare leaders for change. Behavioural leadership preparation was the least common of the six areas measured, undertaken by just 43% of organisations. By comparison, 48% undertake employee engagement planning, and 47% prepare their communications. Structural planning and team alignment preparation were each used by 46%, with cultural integration at 44%.

The gap is less about access to resources than in how they are applied. Almost all organisations surveyed already have relevant infrastructure: 96% have shared frameworks for discussing leadership behaviour and working styles, while 97% have tools and processes for discussing behavioural differences constructively. Yet only about one in three use these tools very consistently and widely.

Dr. Tanya Boyd, Thought Leadership and Insights Lead said: "Organisations have invested in frameworks for discussing behaviour, but many leave those tools on the shelf when change begins. Leaders then rely on instinct at the moment their behaviour is most likely to change, exposing blind spots - areas of negative behaviour that others recognise but that they may be unaware of. This highlights the need for ongoing self-awareness training as well as structured feedback, which can help them identify how their actions are being experienced by other people and take positive steps to address it.

“HR leaders also need to regard behavioural leadership preparation as equally important to other practical areas of employee engagement when it comes to change, to make sure their leaders are emotionally equipped for turbulent times. This includes tracking trust, fatigue and decision-making clarity throughout the change programme.

“Investing in tools like Insights Discovery, which uses the easily relatable language of colour to help people understand themselves and others, can help leaders recognise their strengths, where their blind spots like and help them to make better decisions with their team’s preferences in mind. Deliberately building awareness before change hits will ultimately separate those who survive from those who thrive."

Tricia Nelson, Global Marketing and Sales Director at Insights said: “Leaders today are juggling multiple challenges, managing multi-generational workforces through what can feel like endless cycles of change. Many fall back on experience in difficult times - having ‘been there, done that’, but as our research shows, assuming that experience trumps self-development has significant consequences for productivity.

“This offers up real opportunity for those willing to take it. Leaders who lean into the discomfort of admitting they have more to learn, developing their own self-awareness and that of their teams before change hits, will reap the rewards.”

The Global Change Readiness Report publishes today on 2nd September 2026.