Highspring Surveyed Executive Readiness for Disruption
A study of 1,137 leaders found significant gaps in how firms across different revenue tiers prepare for operational risks.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Corporate Finance
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Do you trust that large companies are truly prepared to handle significant unexpected business disruptions?
Professional services firm Highspring published findings on October 7, 2026, revealing that 95% of 1,137 surveyed functional leaders experienced organizational disruption in the past year. While many managers felt prepared, the study highlighted disparities in confidence based on company size.
Why it matters
The survey illustrates a potential disconnect between perceived readiness and systematic risk planning, particularly as larger firms report frequent disruption despite inconsistent planning for unknown threats.
Among leaders at firms with over $2 billion in revenue, 61% expressed high confidence in handling major disruption, compared to just 36% of leaders at companies earning $250 million to $500 million. Additionally, 53% of these large firms rarely or never plan for unknown risks.
The players
Highspring
Highspring is a professional services firm that provides advisory and consultancy services to global organizations.
The details
The report shows that perceptions of risk vary significantly within the C-suite, with 10% of CFOs viewing operations as exposed to disruption compared to only 4% of CEOs. Despite these internal differences, 80% to 82% of all surveyed leaders maintained that their specific functional departments were adequately prepared for potential crises.
Timeline
August 27 to September 1, 2026: The survey was conducted by Highspring.
October 7, 2026: The study results were published.
Market Dynamics
The study suggests that many global firms have yet to integrate comprehensive risk assessment cycles into their strategic framework. These findings follow the structural guidance set by the ISO 31000 risk management standard while highlighting gaps in implementation across different revenue tiers.
Retail investors should note that larger companies often rely on reactive rather than proactive risk planning, which may affect long-term stability during market shocks. Understanding these internal executive confidence gaps can assist shareholders in evaluating the operational resilience of their portfolio holdings.
The takeaway
The data confirms that operational disruption is a frequent reality for most large organizations, yet planning for unknown risks remains uneven. Leaders should focus on aligning risk visibility between the C-suite and functional managers to bridge the confidence gap between smaller and larger enterprises.
Further reading
For more context on how firms manage balance sheets and organizational stability, visit our Corporate Finance section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CFO.
Live Poll
Do you trust that large companies are truly prepared to handle significant unexpected business disruptions?
