Is Disruption Really the New Normal for the C-suite?

According to the Disruption Index – an annual survey of senior executives assessing disruption across industries –  nearly half of CEOs fear losing their jobs. 

In the report, conducted by AlixPartners, 40% of CEOs reveal they feel more anxious in their roles compared to the previous year, while 72% said it was increasingly difficult to decide which disruptive forces their organisation should prioritise. 

However, leaders in organisations taking a more active role in embracing new changes, such as AI, reported higher levels of confidence in managing global disruption. 

Understanding C-suite anxiety

The report finds that 70% of CEOs are experiencing high levels of disruption, compared to 39% of others in the C-suite. They are also more likely to express an anxiety around their organisation lacking the necessary agility to respond to these high rates of disruption. 

David Garfield, Co-CEO of AlixPartners, believes the most robust organisations are those with CEOs who effectively communicate the need to act on these pressures to the senior leadership team.

He says: “CEOs are steering through an era defined by relentless macroeconomic headwinds and market volatility. In this climate, agility and discernment aren’t optional – they’re essential for survival. 

“Rather than shoulder the pressure alone, CEOs must drive urgency and alignment across their senior teams; this has become a defining leadership challenge, and one of the most critical determinants of sustained growth.”

The importance of accepting change

While global disruption has not decreased from previous years, with supply chain pressures, geopolitical uncertainties and fast rates of technological change still impacting businesses, leading executives are learning to respond to these changes in new ways. 

AlixPartners finds that members of the C-suite are learning to manage disruption across their organisations, with 37% of executives reporting less anxiety around disruption than 2025. 

This coincides with a more positive outlook over key concerns, with less anxiety reported on new regulations impacting growth and supply chain disruptions, and 67% of those surveyed expected positive growth in the global economy.

AI adoption leads to disruption

AlixPartners suggests that the more positive outlook reported is a symptom of the growing acceptance of disruption and change across leading companies, particularly in companies that are leading digital transformation.

Over half of companies leading AI adoption expect business models to change in 2026, compared to 35% who are lagging behind in their use of AI. 

While AI leaders are more likely to feel the pressure of accelerating changes compared to other businesses, they’re also more likely to display greater confidence in navigating those changes, according to the report. 

On the other hand, organisations not yet embracing AI are experiencing less anxiety, but are also less likely to be moving into new markets or geographies. 

This stark divide suggests that AI – and technological disruption as a whole – will play a significant role in business success over the coming years. 

The report predicts that those who do not choose to adapt to new ways of working will fall behind, advising that organisations will need to make bold changes in order to succeed in the new business landscape.

How to thrive in a disruptive environment

Findings from the Disruption Index demonstrate that the most successful organisations going forward are those who are embracing long-term change. 

Organisations addressing key disruptions head on by actions including diversifying their supplier networks to manage tariff changes, evolving their product portfolios and increasing their expansion plans are more likely to experience faster rates of growth, according to the report. 

Simon Freakley, Executive Chairman of AlixPartners, adds: “The world CEOs navigate today offers no respite. 

“Geopolitical tensions fracture supply chains. Technological change, led by AI, accelerates at an unprecedented pace. Cybersecurity threats multiply. Regulatory landscapes shift beneath their feet. 

“Yet something remarkable is emerging from this maelstrom: the realization that waiting for certainty is the riskiest strategy of all. 

“What companies need today is urgency, focus and execution. 

“When five-year plans become obsolete in five months, when market leadership can vanish overnight, a good strategy executed with rigor and pace will outperform a perfect strategy executed poorly every time.”