The CEO for All Seasons: Leading Through Growth, Crisis, Transformation, and Renewal

In an era defined by volatility, transformation, and blurred horizons, the question facing CEOs is no longer just how to lead – but how to lead through change. McKinsey’s latest essay, “A CEO for All Seasons,” makes the case that enduring leadership doesn’t come from mastering one mode of action, but from shifting seamlessly between the seasons of business life: growth, crisis, transformation, and renewal. Drawing from the work of Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vik Malhotra, and Kurt Strovink, the piece reframes leadership as a dynamic art – where the best CEOs behave more like adaptive athletes than static visionaries.

The central insight is simple but profound: no leader stays in one season forever. One quarter, a CEO might be stewarding high growth and scaling globally; the next, navigating existential crisis or reputational collapse. Some seasons demand speed and decisiveness; others, introspection and rethinking core identity. The leaders who stand the test of time don’t cling to one approach – they evolve. From Satya Nadella’s cultural renewal at Microsoft to Mary Barra’s composure under pressure at GM, the piece outlines how leaders reinvent both their companies and themselves to match the moment.

What sets this thinking apart is its recognition that leadership is not a fixed identity. The most effective CEOs are not just visionaries or operators or culture builders – they are all of those, but at different times. They know when to double…