The Hard Truth About Leading Today: What We Heard at SLC2025

At this year’s Simmons Leadership Conference (SLC2025), we asked a simple but powerful question: What is your biggest challenge at work right now? The response was overwhelming—not just in volume, but in honesty. Hundreds of participants offered raw, unfiltered reflections on what it really feels like to show up and lead, follow, and navigate today’s ever-evolving workplace.

What we heard is more than just noise—it’s a signal. It’s a real-time pulse of how people are doing. And the truth is, many are barely hanging on.

The #1 Challenge: Constant Change and Uncertainty

Across hundreds of answers, seven key themes rose to the top. The most prominent? Change and uncertainty—mentioned in nearly 17% of all responses. From constant organizational restructures to strategy shifts without warning, professionals are wrestling with ambiguity at a scale and pace that’s deeply destabilizing.

The phrase we heard again and again was: “I just don’t know what’s coming next.” When the ground keeps shifting, even the most resilient among us start to question whether we can—or should—keep sprinting forward.

When Leadership Falters, People Feel Invisible

Next came management and leadership challenges. Respondents named everything from absent or micromanaging bosses to being led by someone who “has no idea how much I do.” When management falters, people don’t just feel unsupported—they feel invisible.

Compounding the leadership gap is the rise of technology and AI adaptation—a theme that now carries as much weight in workplace struggles as management itself. People want to grow with these tools, but many feel overwhelmed, undertrained, and unclear on how to keep up while still doing the rest of their job.

Burned Out and Buried: The Weight of Workload Overload

Also bubbling under the surface: career stagnation and workload overload. Leaders and emerging leaders alike told us they feel stuck—outgrowing their roles, unsure of their next move, and too buried under unrealistic expectations to step back and reflect. The words “no time,” “too much,” “overwhelmed,” and “burned out” appeared more times than we could count. This isn’t about ambition; it’s about survival.

And yet, within all this fatigue and frustration, there’s a spark. People are still showing up. They’re still looking for their next opportunity to contribute. They want to be seen. They want meaningful work, leaders who listen, and a culture that allows them to thrive—not just persist.

The Call to Leaders: Listen Deeply

So, what does this mean for us—as leaders, as organizations, as a community that cares about progress? It means we must listen. Not just to surface-level engagement scores or abstract data—but to the voices behind them. This is what listening with care looks like. It’s what honest leadership demands.

This is why we created the Simmons Leadership Conference—and 40 years later, our Leadership Institute—in the first place: to hold space for truth, for dialogue, and for the hard conversations that spark real change.

What’s Next: A Month of Purpose and Progress

Now, armed with this insight, we are more committed than ever to helping organizations build cultures where difference is valued, people feel heard, and leaders lead with courage and clarity.

May 1 will mark the launch of a powerful month-long experience featuring resources to help you reconnect with your purpose, tap into your strengths, and show up as your best self—at work and beyond. Stay tuned for details.

Let’s grow together—and celebrate what it means to thrive.