Survey of 1,137 executives finds CFOs see roughly twice as much exposure as CEOs across key business functions

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Highspring, a leading global professional services provider, today announced findings from Planning for the Unexpected, a study of 1,137 CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and VP-level leaders in the United States and Canada examining how organizations prepare for major unexpected disruptions. The research found significant differences in how executives view their organizations’ preparedness, suggesting that where leaders sit can shape what they see.

“Developing an aligned strategy starts with a clear understanding of a leadership team’s perspective on the shifting dynamics specific to the industry where you operate,” said Brian Waller, CEO & Co-Founder at Highspring. “Diversity of thought can be an organizational strength and requires leaders to put those different perspectives on the table, gain alignment on where the business has the most opportunity, and agree on an approach to pivot when inevitable changes occur.”

CFOs see roughly twice as much exposure as CEOs across each of the 10 business functions examined. The divide extends across the C-suite, with just 30% of CIOs very confident their company could handle a major disruption, compared with 52% of CEOs.

Together, those findings point to a broader disconnect. While 92% of leaders are confident their company could handle a major unexpected disruption, just 47% say their corporate planning regularly accounts for unexpected events, a 45-percentage-point confidence gap. 

Other key findings of the study include:

• Talent emerges as a critical constraint: People-related issues account for three of the top six challenges identified by respondents, including retention and reskilling.
• Operational challenges are fragmented: Leaders identified 21 different issues complicating operations.
• More than half (52%) of companies surveyed are currently starting, finishing or rewriting a strategic plan, creating an opportunity for organizations to determine how their resilience and transformation initiatives fit together rather than continuing to operate them as separate programs.

“We are in a time of rapid business disruption and leaders, regardless of industry, are tasked with moving critical work forward while conditions around them evolve.” said Waller. “There is an opportunity for leaders to lean into disruption and chart where the business goes next, but it requires a plan your team can act on as conditions change.”

To access the full report, visit here.

About the Research

Planning for the Unexpected is based on research conducted by Censuswide among 1,137 CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and VP-level leaders in the United States and Canada. The study was fielded August 27–September 1, 2026.

About Highspring | Vaco

Highspring is a leading global professional services organization with three integrated offerings: Consulting, Managed Services and Talent Solutions. Vaco by Highspring specializes in delivering tailored Talent Solutions across Accounting and Finance, Business and Digital Transformation, Risk and Compliance, Information Technology and more. With more than 10,000 employees across 45+ offices worldwide, Highspring helps organizations thrive, address challenges and seize opportunities in a rapidly changing world. For more information, visit www.highspring.com.

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SOURCE Highspring