Chicago, IL, April 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a business environment defined by economic volatility, AI disruption, and organizational upheaval, the leadership crisis most companies should be worried about isn't the one they're watching. It isn't the poor performers. It's the competent, well-meaning leaders everyone trusts – the “good” leaders – and no one thinks to question.
That's the central finding of new research from David Grossman, founder and CEO of The Grossman Group and author of the #1 best seller The Heart Work of Modern Leadership, conducted in partnership with The Harris Poll across 2,206 employed Americans.
Fifty-four percent of leaders fall into the "good" category – and in today's high-uncertainty environment, good isn't producing good outcomes; it’s producing anxiety, complacency, and a slow erosion of trust.
Only 30% of leaders are rated exceptional by their employees. The remaining 16% are outdated, still operating from a command-and-control playbook built for a different era. That means nearly 75% of leaders are falling short of what their people actually need.
"Good leaders – and I count myself among them – have critical blind spots we don't know about," said Grossman. "Our people don't feel seen as people, don't feel heard, and don't believe they're reaching their potential. That's not a failure of effort or intention. It's a gap between the leadership we were trained for and the world we're actually leading in now."
The emotional data behind that gap is striking. Among employees of good leaders, only 19% feel heard, only 16% feel that what's important to them is valued, and just 14% feel they are reaching their full potential.
Exceptional leaders outperform good leaders by more than 2x overall – and nine of the ten attributes that most separate the two are Heart attributes: gratitude, listening, empathy, and trust.
"The gap isn't about strategy, operations, or technical skill," Grossman said. "Good leaders already have those. What they're missing are heart-focused behaviors – gratitude, listening, empathy, and building trust.”
To translate the research into action, Grossman has released two companion white papers – one written directly for leaders available here, and one for Chief Communications Officers available here.
About David Grossman, the Author of The Heart Work of Modern Leadership
David Grossman is one of America's foremost authorities on leadership and change communication inside organizations. An award-winning author, keynote speaker, and trusted executive coach to the C-suite, he also advises academic institutions offering guidance on curriculum and programs. David is the founder and CEO of The Grossman Group.
A media source for his expert commentary and analysis on leadership and workplace issues, David has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Sun Times, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek, the World Economic Forum, Directors & Boards, and CBS MoneyWatch, among many others.
David is a six-time author known for his popular award-winning Heart First series. Heart First: What Exceptional Leaders Do In Extraordinary Times is in its second edition and continues to be applauded by leaders at all levels for the practical approaches and rich stories of heart first leadership, told by senior leaders around the globe.
About The Grossman Group
The Grossman Group is an award-winning internal communications consultancy based in Chicago that works with Fortune 500 companies to drive strategic leadership and organizational change initiatives, particularly during periods of uncertainty. The firm helps align business and communication strategy, strengthen workplace culture, improve employee engagement and performance, and deliver stronger business results. A certified diversity supplier, it partners with C-suite leaders and internal communications teams at companies including Abbott, Amsted, DHL, General Mills, Grubhub, Kimberly-Clark, Lockheed Martin, Novartis, and Stanley Black & Decker, among others.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global public opinion, analytics, and market research consultancy that strives to reveal society's authentic values to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. With a global research reach of more than ninety countries, Harris offers advisory services across sectors to world leaders, CEOs, and business decision-makers with state-of-the-art analytics, real-time software services, and practitioners in marketing, reputation, customer experience, trends, futures, and thought leadership/research-for-public release. The Harris Poll translates shifting social sentiment into a competitive marketplace advantage. Harris is a Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) company. www.theharrispoll.com.
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Kayla Ellsworth kellsworth@yourthoughtpartner.com (312) 927-4588
