We all aim for content teams with high engagement scores and positive culture surveys, which are important metrics. While some resist the notion of overworked teams operating seven days a week, it’s not always necessary for success. From observing numerous SaaS companies, one lesson stands out: team urgency consistently follows the leader. If the CEO lacks urgency, the team reflects the same energy—competent, yet lacking the drive to exceed beyond moderate growth.
**Evidence from 2025:**
– **Alex Karp of Palantir**: Achieved a 165% stock rise in early 2025, maintaining a strong public presence and publishing works like “The Technological Republic.” Named among Time’s 100 influential people, Karp emphasizes understanding AI’s impact.
– **Bill McDermott of ServiceNow**: Adopted competitive language, positioning ServiceNow as a leader in AI for enterprises, targeting Salesforce, and rapidly growing the CRM sector.
– **Frank Slootman, formerly of Snowflake**: Advocated intense leadership and alignment, resulting in three successful IPOs, including Snowflake’s.
– **Aaron Levie of Box**: Capitalizing on AI to foster a startup-like environment, focusing on innovation and productivity rather than shorter work weeks.
**Defining Real Urgency:**
Real urgency isn’t about endless work weeks; it’s about heightened confrontation, smarter work ethics, constant competitiveness, and a leaner workforce. CEOs must drive urgency for quicker engineering, expedited sales, proactive customer support, and ownership mentality. Without urgency, delays, competitive losses, comfort, and diminished innovation ensue.
**Balancing Act:**
Successful leaders combine urgency with empathy, creating “productive pressure”—ambitious timelines paired with the resources needed for achievement.
**Leadership Visibility:**
A CEO’s behaviors set the precedent. Early checkouts or acceptance of mediocrity propagate through the team. Leaders like Jensen Huang exemplify intensity with statements like “I work as much as I can.”
**Performance Trends:**
2025 has shown pronounced differences, with companies like Palantir and ServiceNow thriving, while others like Salesforce and Asana struggle. The presence of urgency linked to CEO-led productive pressure marks the winners.
**Rising Resignations:**
CEO departures soared in 2024, emphasizing changes in the AI era. Instances like Dustin Moskovitz stepping down from Asana reflect a shift towards new priorities amid AI risks.
Ultimately, your team’s urgency arises from your own, demanding more effort than ever before in the AI Age.