Mumbai, February 12, 2026 — A new report by Great Place To Work® has flagged a serious leadership gap in India Inc. According to fresh data shared at the Great Place To Work® For All Summit™ 2026, only 2 in 10 CXOs believe their leaders took early action and were able to maintain stability during business crises.
Adding to the concern, every second CXO said that managing change is their single biggest leadership challenge today. The findings were presented at the summit held in Mumbai, described as the country’s largest workplace culture gathering. The event brought together over 1,200 senior leaders from across industries.
The discussions focused on the need for a new leadership playbook in a time of rapid transformation. Speakers included Prof. John Amaechi OBE, Mithali Raj, CP Gurnani, Pramod Bhasin, Gaurav Sehgal, and Ajay Vij, among others.
Balbir Singh, CEO, Great Place To Work® India, highlighted the need for adaptive leadership. He said, "Leaders embracing The Great Adaptation are shaping organizations through clarity, agility, and consistent actions toward change, while fostering a great employee experience. The strongest organizations are those that spot leadership potential early, invest time in mentoring, and build trust by consistently doing the right thing, every single time. The For All Summit 2026, by Great Place To Work India, is where leaders have come together to collectively share insights on leadership development, shaping stronger cultures and future-ready organizations.”
A key theme that emerged at the summit was the shift from “command and control” to “care and enablement.” Speakers said leadership today is less about authority and more about empowering teams.
Accenture’s Ajay Vij summed it up by saying modern leadership is about “making the room look smart.”
Pramod Bhasin echoed this sentiment and advised leaders to “go get people who are better than you and give them freedom.”
Artificial Intelligence was another major focus area. Industry leaders stressed that AI should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat.
CP Gurnani and Arun Kohli said India’s young population, strong learning culture, and vast data ecosystem give it an edge in becoming a global AI powerhouse. However, they emphasized the need for clear communication and rapid upskilling.
The summit also looked at improving everyday employee experience.
Rituraj Chaturmohta of Uber for Business said that meaningful change does not always require large budgets. He noted that “employee experience doesn’t need big budgets; it needs trust, care, and leaders who empower.”
Discussions also touched upon purpose-driven leadership.
Author Gurcharan Das advised leaders to "take your work seriously but not yourself."
Dr. Santrupt Misra highlighted the changing nature of influence, stating, “Impact has moved from how I impact to who do you impact”.
The Mumbai edition of the Great Place To Work For All Summit 2026 featured keynote sessions and fireside chats aimed at helping leaders turn workplace culture into action.
In line with its “For All” mission, every session at the summit was interpreted by sign language experts, reinforcing the message that the future of work must be inclusive and accessible to everyone.
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