Vistage Research Center

Rising Confidence Fuels Hiring and Development [WSJ/Vistage Feb 2026]

Anne Petrik — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:14:16 +0000

Momentum is building for small businesses in the second month of the year. Confidence increased as a greater proportion of small businesses report expectations for increased revenues in the year ahead. The WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index increased more...

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5 Leadership Lessons from FDR that Inspire Reinvention During Times of Change

Greg Bustin — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:13:00 +0000

The country needs — and, unless I mistake its temper — the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all,...

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Run A Hands-On AI Agent Workshop That Actually Creates Value

Gleb Tsipursky — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 19:06:29 +0000

If you want employees to adopt generative AI, put them in a room, give them real data, and require working demos by the end of the sprint. The fastest path is a hands-on build workshop where small teams ship functional...

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The Secret to Building an Elite Team

Vistage Staff — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:03:49 +0000

Every business wants an elite team. But Pete Wilkinson, strategy execution consultant and speaker, knows that wanting one and actually building one are often two very different realities. “It’s like saying ‘I’d love to compete in the Olympics,’” he says....

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Game-Changing Leadership: Lessons from Black CEOs Every Executive Can Use

Vistage Staff — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:56:24 +0000

High-performing leaders often face a paradox: the same relentless drive that builds a thriving company can quietly weaken the foundation beneath it. For CEOs of small and midsize businesses, the tension between growth and sustainability isn’t theoretical; it’s the daily...

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Why AI-Driven Cybersecurity Threats Are the Biggest Risk Facing CEOs in 2026

Joe Galvin — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:23:00 +0000

As we kick off 2026, cyberattacks remain the single greatest threat to businesses and individuals. They can swiftly shut down a business, compromise its data, or drain a Bitcoin account in one fell swoop. And with the rapid adoption of...

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How to Keep Remote Employees Engaged Long-Term

Vistage Staff — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:03:00 +0000

As remote work has become more common, organizations have found that employees can perform well from afar. The problem? Maintaining long-term remote employee engagement can be difficult. The issue is often less about an employee’s engagement with work and more...

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What CEOs Get Wrong About Sales Leadership

Vistage Staff — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:42:40 +0000

Sales is often seen as something you’re either innately good or bad at. But one early experience taught Lars Tewes that the reality is far different. Lars is a sales leadership expert and founder of a global sales consultancy that...

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Pessimism Eases; Small Business Confidence Holds [WSJ/Vistage Jan 2026]

Anne Petrik — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:09:53 +0000

As small businesses enter the new year, the tone is measurably less optimistic than it was a year ago. However, confidence has steadily improved since November, driven by positive expectations for business growth. The WSJ/Vistage Small Business CEO Confidence Index...

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Productivity Trends for 2026 and Beyond

Marc Emmer — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:15:23 +0000

Since the end of the pandemic, employers have been trying to balance productivity with employee satisfaction. It hasn’t gone well. While up slightly in 2025, U.S. worker productivity has increased by a meager 1.8% since 2019. Meanwhile, according to Gallup,...

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