Why Tomorrow's C-Suite Will Look Like a Startup Team

Not long ago, the C-suite was like a structured chessboard of defined roles and ranks, but now it's more of a flexible matrix with blurred boundaries and dynamic rules. The traditional hierarchy is giving way to a more adaptive approach where collaboration, decentralised decision-making and AI-powered optimisation are valued above ranks.

According to a Deloitte analysis, the average executive team size among Fortune 500 companies grew by 23% from 2018 to 2023. Meanwhile, so did the requirements for the roles like CFOs, COOs and CHROs have changed, often extending beyond their initial functional boundaries. And C-suite executives who are willing to focus on strategic adaptability are shown to reduce potential revenue losses by up to 15% during economic downturns.

The message is clear, it's time to redefine the way C-level runs their business.

Related: 3 Things I've Learned About Hiring and Firing After 35 Years in Business

1. Decentralised decision-making

MIT CISR found that companies where at least half of the teams have operational decision-making authority outperformed their centralised peers, bringing 6.2 percentage points in profitability, 9.8 percentage points higher revenue growth and 1.5x more income from new products and services. Traditional structures are getting replaced by smaller autonomous teams where members can show what they are worth.

Netflix is a bold case of a decentralised management model where teams own their data and make independent decisions within strategic frameworks. This allows them to react quickly to changes and offer personalised user experiences, helping the company maintain its leading position in the entertainment industry.

2. The blurring of roles

The trend is that roles like the CMO are becoming increasingly fluid. In 2024, only 66% of Fortune 500 companies retained a C-suite marketing leader, down sharply from 357 companies in 2023. Nearly a quarter have eliminated the marketing leader roles without hiring new employees. This reflects a broader issue: CMOs are getting more and more overloaded and undersupported. They're under constant pressure from several fronts: demands for instant revenue growth, deep digital expertise and reduced costs, all while the insecurities coming from automation and AI.

Thus, companies are favouring generalists like CGOs and CCOs. However, this shift carries risk. Without a clear marketing owner, companies lose strategic brand focus, creativity, clear communication and customer engagement.

Such a big fish as Starbucks eliminated its global CMO role in favour of regional CEOs supported by local marketing teams. While this step may uplevel internal operations, it also comes with questions about the consistency of global brand strategy.

Gone are the days of command-and-control leadership. Today's employees value autonomy and trust, seeing their perfect executive as the one who guides, enables and coaches rather than directs. Markus Graf noted that 67% of Novartis team members said their career development depends on their manager, who can be both a supporter and a talent nurturer.

Novartis created its own leadership model by rolling out an internal platform that empowers employees to seek out projects and learning opportunities aligned with their skills and ambitions. Managers now act as mentors, not taskmasters, helping staff navigate paths to growth. This approach both helped to boost employee engagement and create a healthy atmosphere where each talent is minding what he really wants.

Related: Why All Leaders Need Executive Coaching, Not Just a Mentor

4. The AI trace

According to Harvard Business School, AI can free up to 50% of managers' time from routine administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on talent development and strategic priorities. From automating reporting to drafting emails and scheduling, AI tools are transforming workflows.

Organisations like Michelin, McKnight Foundation, Motor Oil Group and Raiffeisen Bank International have all reported significant productivity gains when collaborating with AI tools. At Michelin, tasks were completed 10x faster using an Azure-based chatbot. McKnight freed up resources for strategic work, and Motor Oil reduced task timeframes from weeks to minutes. AI helped leaders from absolutely diverse business spheres cut down time needed for administrative tasks by 3-4 times and make better-informed decisions backed by real-time data.

5. The leader is a match-maker

Modern leaders must act as glue, effectively connecting teams, processes and ideas. Data proves that companies that focus on building strong teams that match one another are five times more likely to achieve high performance. Even remote teams that work well together are 30% more likely to outperform office workers. Synergy boosts team creativity by 20% and improves decision-making quality by 56%.

To drive this, leaders must prioritise open communication altogether with fair feedback, shared transparent goals and promote a safe atmosphere. Clear roles and team members with diverse skills and backgrounds are key to productive, effective and peaceful work environments.

Plante Moran managed to be rated as a 'great place to work at' by 95% of its employees, while the US average is 57%. Its 'people first' culture, based on co-founder Frank Moran's vision of a values-driven firm, is a strong foundation for retaining talent and maintaining a healthy climate, all while sustaining service excellence. It's One Firm' model ensures that clients benefit from collective expertise across the business, promoting deep integration between teams.

The future of the C-suite is not about the ranks — it's about adaptability. The winners in this new C-suite era will be those who understand that change matters more than structure, integration more than hierarchy and adaptability more than authority.