For today’s CEOs, leadership is no longer measured by results alone. As organizations navigate workforce fatigue, shifting expectations and rising moral complexity, many executives are rethinking what it means to lead well and what personal values matter most in their leadership. A new Barna report—Faith-Forward CEOs: Research and Insights on Executives Who Lead Differently, produced in partnership with C12 Business Forums—examines how senior executives understand leadership, culture and responsibility in this moment.

The findings are drawn from a survey of 356 U.S.-based CEOs. Nearly nine in ten (89%) either identify as Christian or say faith is important in their life, leading Barna to describe this group as “Faith-Forward.” The research explores leadership across four dimensions: self-leadership, organizational leadership, cultural leadership and Christian leadership.

In the first article based on this research, Barna examined what motivates Faith-Forward CEOs and how their Christian faith informs their leadership. In this second installment, the focus turns to what personal values influence CEOs leadership most.

For pastors and church leaders, these findings offer more than insight into the marketplace. They point to a growing opportunity to support the spiritual formation of leaders whose daily decisions shape the lives of employees, families and communities far beyond the church walls.

What Values Are Most Important to Leaders?