Leadership Resolutions: How to Set Up Your Executive Team for Success in January

Most executives start January with a stack of goals and good intentions. By March, those plans often lose momentum. But 2025 can be different. 

Research shows that only 8% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions. Companies face similar odds with their January ambitions—but they can beat them with real planning and follow-through. 

That’s why we asked Stanton Chase’s Global Practice Leaders what resolutions companies should make to set their executive teams up for success in January 2025. 

What’s Actually Happening in 2025

Leaders and organizations face unprecedented workplace challenges as we enter 2025. According to Deloitte’s research, 48% of workers and 53% of managers report feeling burned out at work, while 59% of the global workforce are “quiet quitting.” Only 43% of workers say their organizations have left them better off than when they started. 

These workforce challenges are happening against a backdrop of technological and economic change. Kevin McGonigle, Global Advisory Leader for Leadership Assessment and Succession Planning at Stanton Chase, identifies three critical issues business leaders must tackle in 2025: 

“The critical challenge will be responding to how shifting geo-politics, AI technology applications, and workforce tensions reshape when, where, and how companies compete,” McGonigle explains. “To compete and win, companies will need to re-evaluate on-shore versus off-shore production, identify where AI can streamline processes, and decide how to tackle the in-person versus remote issue.” 

Our Seven Recommended Leadership Resolutions

1. Get Your Workforce Plans Right

For William Brewer, Global Functional Leader for Human Resources at Stanton Chase, the resolution companies should prioritize in January is about workforce planning: “Implement a comprehensive strategic workforce planning approach that aligns HR initiatives with business objectives,” he advises. “This ensures that talent strategies directly support expansion goals and provide executives with the workforce capabilities needed to drive growth.” 

The data proves the urgency of this strategic alignment. According to Boston Consulting Group’s research, 52% of respondents cite unclear or overly broad strategy as their top challenge, with talent constraints following close behind at 44%. Organizations that lack this strategic workforce planning risk falling into the 97% of companies that BCG identifies as outside the innovation “ready zone”—a sharp decline from 20% readiness just two years ago. 

2. Make AI Work for You

AI isn’t just pie in the sky anymore—it’s here on the ground, and businesses that wait too long will find themselves hamstrung by competitors who didn’t. PwC’s research shows 73% of US companies have already adopted AI in some business areas, with 54% implementing generative AI specifically. Yet BCG’s research reveals only 8% are applying GenAI at scale, while 27% have implemented it in select applications. 

Miloš Tucaković, Global Sector Leader for Consumer Products and Services at Stanton Chase, sees this clearly in retail: “AI and augmented reality greatly enhance the shopping experience. The preferences of consumers, particularly those of the younger generation, are heavily influenced by AI recommendations.” 

3. Deal with Hard Times

2025 won’t pull any punches—but we can’t afford to flinch. Dr. Oliver Ziehm, Global Sector Leader for Technology and Professional Services at Stanton Chase, puts preparation for change at the forefront of necessary resolutions: “2025 will bring many restructurings, layoffs, and job cuts. Executives should be trained to manage these separation processes fairly and empathetically while maintaining their mental stability through supervision groups.” 

The data suggests he’s right about the scale of coming changes. Recent surveys show 38% of companies using AI in 2025 plan to replace employees with this technology, up from 30% in 2024. Major restructurings are already underway at large companies—Amazon alone is expected to eliminate 14,000 managerial roles by early 2025 as part of a broader effort to streamline operations. 

4. Take Smart Risks

When setting priorities for January, Christian Ehl, Global Functional Leader for Sustainability and ESG at Stanton Chase, argues that bold action should top the list: “Executives should be encouraged to act with bravery, stimulating innovation and creativity, and investing in future-proof product and service development. Hesitation and short-sightedness are high risk factors for sustainable business success.” 

The importance of decisive action is reflected in Deloitte’s recent research: 70% of global CxOs expect climate change to impact their companies’ strategies and operations over the next three years, up from 61% last year. Yet there remains a gap between recognition and action—27% of organizations have taken minimal or no substantial actions to address these challenges, while 56% are taking only moderate steps.

5. Take Care of Your People

For companies making their 2025 resolutions, Jeff Perkins, Global Sector Leader for Social Impact at Stanton Chase, insists that employee well-being must be a priority: “Fostering a healthy work environment which promotes well-being and work-life balance across the organization is crucial. Burnout is a leading factor in C-suite departures while balance and health are key drivers of productivity and satisfaction.” 

According to Deloitte’s research, only 56% of workers feel their overall well-being is “excellent” or “good.” Even more telling, 71% of C-suite executives say they would seriously consider taking a job with another company that better supported their well-being.  

6. Plan for Tomorrow’s Leaders

For Pilar Brogeras, Global Functional Leader for Startups and Scale-ups at Stanton Chase, succession planning should be at the top of every company’s 2025 resolution list: “Talent shortage is a reality we are facing globally. Guaranteeing leadership continuity and talent retention strategy not only has a financial impact for organizations but strengthens the employer brand.” 

This focus on leadership continuity is particularly necessary as workplace demographics shift. According to Deloitte’s latest survey, 94% of business leaders expect their workers to pick up new skills by 2025, while 40% of workers will require up to six months of reskilling. These capability demands make succession planning and talent development even more important for long-term organizational success. 

7. Rethink the CFO’s Role

Looking at the year ahead, Cathy Logue, Global Functional Leader for CFO and Financial Executives and Family Office Global Subsector Leader at Stanton Chase, sees a further shift in what companies need from their financial leaders: “Finance chiefs must continue to look beyond the numbers. 2025 will be about kicking up AI adoption and building future-ready teams to drive growth, while navigating market headwinds and evolving risks. It’s a delicate balancing act, juggling strategic investment decisions with challenging cost structures—a true test of leadership and agility.”

PwC’s latest research backs this up—86% of CFOs say using technology and automation effectively is a challenge, citing talent and resource constraints. At the same time, 84% are putting at least one investment decision on hold, opting to play it safe in uncertain times.

How to Make Your Leadership Resolutions Stick

Ward Garven, Global Sector Leader for Natural Resources, Mining, and Energy at Stanton Chase, offers three practical steps for making these changes stick. 

By concentrating on these three areas, Garven believes companies can overcome the “widespread misbelief and mistrust that has become rampant” and the resulting “internal conflicts that often prevent progress.” According to Garven, the key is for leadership teams to align on their true priorities and then relentlessly execute on them, while maintaining transparent communication with the broader organization. 

This pragmatic approach, combined with the insights from the other Stanton Chase leaders, can help companies create a plan to set their executive teams up for success in the challenging year ahead. As McGonigle puts it, “The themes of 2025 may be re-invention and nimbleness.” 

About the Author

Tom Christensen, Global Vice Chair of Practice Groups and Managing Partner of Stanton Chase Oslo, brings over 16 years of experience in the Consumer Products and Services Industry to his executive search career. With a background that includes executive positions at PepsiCo and McCann Erickson in Norway and Northern Europe, Tom transitioned to executive search in 2001 and co-founded Stanton Chase Oslo in 2007. His expertise spans Consumer Products and Services, Technology, and Private Equity, making him a valuable asset in international executive recruitment.