The U.S. is in a Leadership Crisis, New Survey Reveals
U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with The Harris Poll, has released a comprehensive survey revealing a widespread leadership crisis across American institutions. The poll of 1,500 adults shows significant distrust in leaders across public service, business, education, and healthcare sectors.
Key findings include 77% of respondents not seeing any admirable public leaders, 82% believing business leaders are out of touch with public values, and 85% perceiving government officials as prioritizing self-interest. The survey will inform U.S. News' upcoming Best Leaders in America program, which will recognize 25 exceptional individuals making meaningful contributions across various sectors.
U.S. News & World Report, in collaborazione con The Harris Poll, ha pubblicato un sondaggio approfondito che mette in luce una diffusa crisi di leadership nelle istituzioni americane. Il sondaggio su 1.500 adulti rileva una netta sfiducia nei confronti dei dirigenti nei settori del servizio pubblico, dell'impresa, dell'istruzione e della sanit脿.
Tra i risultati principali: il 77% degli intervistati non individua leader pubblici ammirevoli, il 82% ritiene che i dirigenti aziendali siano distanti dai valori della collettivit脿 e il 85% percepisce i funzionari governativi come orientati al proprio interesse. Il sondaggio alimenter脿 il prossimo programma di U.S. News, Best Leaders in America, che premier脿 25 persone eccezionali che stanno dando contributi significativi in vari ambiti.
U.S. News & World Report, en colaboraci贸n con The Harris Poll, ha publicado una encuesta exhaustiva que revela una amplia crisis de liderazgo en las instituciones estadounidenses. La encuesta a 1.500 adultos muestra una marcada desconfianza hacia los l铆deres de los servicios p煤blicos, las empresas, la educaci贸n y la sanidad.
Entre los hallazgos clave: el 77% de los encuestados no ve l铆deres p煤blicos admirables, el 82% cree que los l铆deres empresariales est谩n desconectados de los valores p煤blicos y el 85% percibe que los funcionarios gubernamentales priorizan su inter茅s personal. La encuesta servir谩 de base para el pr贸ximo programa de U.S. News, Best Leaders in America, que reconocer谩 a 25 personas destacadas que realizan contribuciones significativas en distintos sectores.
U.S. News & World Report臧赌 The Harris Poll鞕� 順戨牓頃� 氙戈淡 旮瓣磤 鞝勲皹鞐� 瓯胳箿 甏戨矓鞙勴暅 毽崝鞁� 鞙勱赴毳� 霌滊煬雮措姅 膦呿暕 靹る臁办偓毳� 氚滍憸頄堨姷雼堧嫟. 1,500氇�鞚� 靹膘澑鞚� 雽�靸侅溂搿� 頃� 鞚措矆 臁办偓鞐愳劀電� 瓿店车 靹滊箘鞀�, 旮办梾, 甑愳湣, 鞚橂 攵勳暭鞚� 歆�霃勳瀽霌れ棎 雽�頃� 攵堨嫚鞚� 霘滊牱頃橁矊 雮橅儉雮姷雼堧嫟.
欤检殧 瓴瓣臣搿滊姅 鞚戨嫷鞛愳潣 77%臧赌 臁搓步頃� 毵岉暅 瓿奠鞛愲ゼ 彀眷 氇豁暅雼り碃 雼淀枅瓿�, 82%電� 旮办梾 歆�霃勳瀽霌れ澊 瓿店车鞚� 臧赌旃橃檧 霃欕枿鞏挫牳 鞛堧嫟瓿� 氤措┌, 85%電� 鞝曤秬 甏�瓿勳瀽霌れ澊 臧滌澑 鞚挫澋鞚� 鞖办劆頃滊嫟瓿� 鞚胳嫕頄堨姷雼堧嫟. 鞚� 臁办偓 瓴瓣臣電� U.S. News鞚� 彀赴 頂勲攴鸽灗鞚� Best Leaders in America鞐� 氚橃榿霅橃柎 雼れ枒頃� 攵勳暭鞐愳劀 鞚橂 鞛堧姅 旮办棳毳� 頃橂姅 25氇呾潉 靹犾爼頃橂姅 雿� 頇滌毄霅� 鞓堨爼鞛呺媹雼�.
U.S. News & World Report, en collaboration avec The Harris Poll, a publi茅 une enqu锚te approfondie r茅v茅lant une crise g茅n茅ralis茅e du leadership au sein des institutions am茅ricaines. Le sondage aupr猫s de 1 500 adultes montre une forte m茅fiance envers les dirigeants des secteurs public, priv茅, 茅ducatif et de la sant茅.
Parmi les principaux r茅sultats : 77% des personnes interrog茅es ne voient aucun dirigeant public admirable, 82% estiment que les dirigeants d'entreprise sont d茅connect茅s des valeurs publiques et 85% per莽oivent les responsables gouvernementaux comme privil茅giant leur int茅r锚t personnel. Cette enqu锚te alimentera le prochain programme de U.S. News, Best Leaders in America, qui distinguera 25 personnes exceptionnelles apportant des contributions significatives dans divers secteurs.
U.S. News & World Report hat in Zusammenarbeit mit The Harris Poll eine umfangreiche Umfrage ver枚ffentlicht, die eine weitreichende F眉hrungskrise in amerikanischen Institutionen aufzeigt. Die Befragung von 1.500 Erwachsenen dokumentiert erhebliches Misstrauen gegen眉ber F眉hrungskr盲ften im 枚ffentlichen Dienst, in der Wirtschaft, im Bildungsbereich und im Gesundheitswesen.
Wesentliche Ergebnisse: 77% der Befragten sehen keine bewundernswerten 枚ffentlichen F眉hrungspers枚nlichkeiten, 82% halten Wirtschaftsf眉hrer f眉r von den gesellschaftlichen Werten entfremdet und 85% nehmen wahr, dass Regierungsvertreter ihr Eigeninteresse priorisieren. Die Umfrage wird in das kommende Programm von U.S. News, Best Leaders in America, einflie脽en, das 25 herausragende Pers枚nlichkeiten auszeichnet, die in verschiedenen Bereichen bedeutende Beitr盲ge leisten.
- Survey will inform selection criteria for U.S. News' Best Leaders in America recognition program
- Clear methodology with nationally representative sample of 1,500 adults
- 66% of public maintains trust in Supreme Court
- 77% don't see any admirable public leaders
- 82% believe business leaders are out of touch with public values
- 85% believe government officials prioritize self-interest over public good
- 87% say U.S. faces leadership crisis in public service
- Widespread dissatisfaction across all sectors (public service 80%, healthcare 73%, business 72%, education 68%)
Results from a
The survey explored Americans' views of leadership in public service, business, education and health care, and what qualities they believe define truly effective leaders.
Among the key findings of the survey of 1,500 adults ages 18+:
- Many Americans don't see leaders they aspire to emulate:
77% of survey respondents don't see any public leaders they admire or would want to be like, along with most who say the same about leaders in education (74% ), health care (69% ) and business (61% ). - Business leaders are seen as out of touch with the public's values:
82% of adults believe the values held by business leaders don't align with those of everyday Americans. Additionally,72% of adults agree that theU.S. is experiencing a business leadership crisis. - Self-interest and distrust characterize public perceptions of leadership:
85% of Americans believe government officials and community leaders prioritize their own power and influence over the public's interests.- Reflecting this skepticism, around half do not trust the Trump Administration (
53% ), congressional Republicans (53% ) or congressional Democrats (48% ) to act in the best interest of theU.S. public.
- Reflecting this skepticism, around half do not trust the Trump Administration (
- Disappointment in leadership extends across all sectors: Public service drew the most disappointment, cited by
80% of Americans, followed by health care (73% ), business (72% ) and education (68% ).- Similarly,
87% of respondents said theU.S. is facing a leadership crisis in public service, the highest among the four categories (79% in education,79% in healthcare,72% in business).
- Similarly,
- Americans want their leaders to be trustworthy, honest and ethical: These traits were consistently identified as most important across public service, business, education and health care sectors.
- Americans see a disconnect between those in power and those who are trusted: While
56% associate leadership with political figures, only31% consider them trustworthy.66% of the public trust the Supreme Court to act in the best interest of the American public.
"With Congress on leave for summer recess, this is a timely moment to take a critical look at how Americans view leadership in this country," said ,
"Americans are not only dissatisfied with political leaders - they're disillusioned with leadership across the board. At a time when trust is critical to the functioning of our democracy and institutions, the public is demanding more character, courage and clarity from those in power. Insights offered in this poll provide a data-driven foundation for understanding what Americans value in a leader and recognizing those who meet that standard," Linzer added.
Leadership traits identified as most important by poll respondents, such as trustworthiness and honesty, will be used to inform
The poll was conducted by The Harris Poll online from April 14 - 17, 2025, among a nationally representative sample of 1,500
A panel of experts in public service, business, health care and education are evaluating submissions for the upcoming 2025 U.S. News Best Leaders. Honorees will be selected based on how closely they reflect the leadership traits most valued by Americans, as revealed in the survey.
For additional insights and analysis,
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company,
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is a global public opinion, analytics, and market research consultancy that strives to reveal society's authentic values to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. With a global research reach of more than ninety countries, Harris offers advisory services across sectors to world leaders, CEOs, and business decision-makers with state-of-the-art analytics, real-time software services, and practitioners in marketing, reputation, customer experience, trends, futures, and thought leadership/research-for-public release, The Harris Poll translates shifting social sentiment into a competitive marketplace advantage. Harris is a Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) company. .
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
FAQ
What are the key findings of the 2025 U.S. News leadership crisis survey?
How many Americans believe the U.S. is experiencing a leadership crisis in 2025?
What leadership qualities do Americans value most according to the 2025 survey?
What is the methodology behind the 2025 U.S. News leadership survey?
How will U.S. News use the 2025 leadership survey results?
