Confidence in the impact and role of the media has increased since 2019. This topic moved from last place in 2019 to #10 on the WCI in 2020. Leaders in France are the most confident about this topic, while leaders in Brazil are the most concerned about this topic.

The index identified several more significant global trends:

• The pandemic drives leaders' confidence down. Only four topics increased in confidence globally.
• Confidence in employee issues fell, with four dropping out of the top six in the index since 2019.
• Upskilling and reskilling is the No. 1 topic for leader attention and confidence.
• Confidence in the use of technology to collaborate and innovate moved up 16 places to No. 2.
• Government and legislative change increased 79 percent from the 2019 level, and crisis management rose by 40 percent.
• Leaders continue to focus on long-term challenges.
• The rise of new influencers keeps influencers the No. 1 audience for leaders.
• North America becomes the most confident region, up from No. 5 in 2019. Latin America remains the least confident region.
• Industry sector confidence points to the winners and losers of the pandemic. Utilities are the most confident sector of 11 in the index.
• It pays to have a local view on leadership confidence. The index uncovered marked differences and changes in confidence among the 36 countries. For example, the confidence of Russian leaders in government and legislative change fell by 21 percent since 2019, but French leaders' confidence in the same topic increased by 22 percent.

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