What: The effectiveness of retail executive teams increasingly depends on cross-functional collaboration, shared goals, and ongoing evaluation, rather than just individual expertise or functional excellence.

Why it is important: The research underscores that retail organizations must move beyond individual expertise and invest in building cohesive, high-performing executive teams to remain agile and competitive.

New research reveals that even the most talented individual executives do not guarantee high C-suite performance if they operate in silos and prioritize their own functions over collective success. Most retail leaders still identify primarily with their departmental teams, leading to misaligned goals and underperformance at the top. Only 31% of C-suite executives consider their peers as their primary team, and just 34% of CEOs believe their C-suites are prepared for today’s challenges. The study highlights the need for chief human resource officers to monitor team dynamics, intervene when collaboration falters, and ensure that executive incentives and evaluations are aligned with shared organizational goals. Regular, formal assessments of C-suite collaboration and capabilities—especially in times of disruption—are critical for identifying gaps and upgrading leadership as needed. By establishing mutual goals and fostering a shared sense of purpose, retail organizations can break down silos, improve decision-making, and drive sustained high performance at the executive level.

IADS Notes: Recent research and industry analyses confirm that C-suite team dynamics and leadership effectiveness are critical priorities for retail organizations navigating rapid transformation. As highlighted by Raconteur (December 2025), the CEO role is evolving in response to AI-driven change, generational shifts, and the need for collaborative leadership, with distributed and co-CEO models gaining traction to foster agility and resilience. MBS (January 2026) and BCG (November 2025) emphasize that only retailers who proactively invest in technology, systematic upskilling, and agile leadership will thrive as margins compress and the pace of change accelerates. McKinsey (May 2025) and LEAD Network (October 2025) underscore the importance of gender diversity and purpose-driven leadership, noting that women CEOs excel at balancing vision with operational excellence, while the sector still struggles to translate boardroom diversity into executive roles. BCG (April 2025) and HR Dive (December 2025) reveal that foundational skills like adaptability, communication, and professionalism are now essential for workforce resilience, especially as AI adoption disrupts traditional roles and talent strategies. Seramount (January 2026) and ESG Dive (September 2025) document the ongoing leadership pipeline crisis, with Baby Boomer retirements and Gen Z’s reluctance to pursue management roles creating succession challenges. The integration of DEI expertise into core business functions and the shift toward outcome-based management, as seen in Retail Week (March 2025) and Seramount (June 2025), further illustrate the sector’s move toward inclusive, data-driven, and collaborative leadership models. Collectively, these sources show that retail success increasingly depends on building cohesive, high-performing executive teams, fostering inclusive cultures, and aligning leadership development with evolving business needs and employee expectations.

Does your C-suite really operates as a team?