Research roundup
Leadership in 2026, by the numbers
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Published 2026 Gartner research shows leaders and managers are being asked for more: 67% of CHROs report increased productivity expectations, and 47% of managers say more is expected of them.
This page, compiled by CRW Diversity for the Equity Leadership Brief site, collects those findings with their sources and conditions. They are third-party survey results, not CRW Diversity data. The business's own figures appear separately below.
What are managers and CHROs facing in 2026?
Rising expectations with limited alignment. According to Gartner research summarized by Braintrust Growth's 22 leadership development statistics for 2026, managers are absorbing more demands, including significant time on employees' personal and emotional concerns, while leadership teams are not yet aligned on accountability for AI agents.
67%
of CHROs report increased expectations for employee productivity.
From a July 2026 Gartner survey of 297 CHROs, released October 6, 2026. Source: Braintrust Growth, citing Gartner.
24%
of leadership teams are aligned on who's accountable for AI agents.
Same Gartner survey of 297 CHROs. Source: Braintrust Growth, citing Gartner.
47%
of managers say more is expected of them than a year ago.
Gartner surveyed 2,947 employees and managers in November and December 2025; results published April 2026. Source: Braintrust Growth, citing Gartner.
About 9 hours
a week, more than 20% of managers' working time, goes to employees' personal and emotional concerns.
From the same Gartner survey of 2,947 employees and managers. Source: Braintrust Growth, citing Gartner.
Why these numbers matter for equity leadership
When expectations rise and managers' time is stretched, the systems around people matter more, not less. A manager with less time is more likely to rely on habit, familiar relationships, and unwritten norms when deciding who gets an opportunity. That is exactly where the Equity in Action Model asks leaders to look: at access, advocacy, and accountability for outcomes.
The low alignment on AI accountability points in the same direction. Accountability in Celeste Warren's model means looking beyond intentions to outcomes, a discipline that applies to new technology as much as to people decisions. This interpretation is CRW Diversity's, not Gartner's.
The experience behind CRW Diversity
CRW Diversity by the numbers
Figures as stated by CRW Diversity about Celeste Warren's career and work, as of November 2026.
- Nearly 4 decades
- in human resources and organizational leadership
- 28 years
- of Fortune 100 experience
- 10 years
- leading global diversity and inclusion
- 2 books
- The Truth About Equity and How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador
- 6 elements
- in the Equity in Action Model
- 3 ways to work together
- executive advisory, workshops, and speaking
Sources and conditions
Each statistic is quoted as published, with its survey size and dates. Gartner figures are reported here as cited by Braintrust Growth. Read the full list at the original article. Return to the Equity Leadership Brief home page.
Common questions
- Managers say they have no time for another program. What helps?
- Shorter, practical formats help. Equity in Action for Managers is built as short mini-modules designed for busy leaders, focused on tools managers can apply immediately in day-to-day decisions. That keeps the learning tied to work managers already do rather than adding a separate initiative to their week. More in the FAQ
- Our leaders mean well. Why are outcomes not changing?
- Good intentions alone do not change outcomes. In the Equity in Action Model, Accountability means looking beyond intentions and paying attention to outcomes, and Action means turning awareness into deliberate leadership decisions. Examining who has access to information, opportunities, and relationships often reveals where results are getting stuck. More in the FAQ
- How can leaders tell whether systems are holding talent back?
- Start with Celeste Warren's guiding question: what within the organization is helping people succeed, and what may be getting in their way? Review policies, practices, access to opportunity, leadership decisions, and unwritten norms, then compare outcomes. Talented people who are ready to move forward but are not moving are a signal. More in the FAQ
- Why do diversity and inclusion efforts stall?
- Celeste Warren's work points to one common reason: organizations focus on what individuals need to do differently while leaving policies, practices, access to opportunity, and unwritten norms unchanged. Lasting change, in her view, requires examining the systems around people, not only changing the people themselves. More in the FAQ
- Can managers benefit from Celeste Warren's work, not just executives?
- Yes. Equity in Action for Managers was built for managers, because applying equity principles in everyday decisions is where change happens. Her workshops and learning experiences also serve leaders at different levels who want to improve workplace culture and lead more fairly, intentionally, and effectively. More in the FAQ
Bring these questions to your leadership team
Celeste Warren works directly with senior executives on leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges. Every engagement starts with where you are and what may be standing in the way.