Leadership + Hiring Trends: Insights from the Noto Group Team for 2026

Noto Group’s senior partners break down key hiring and leadership trends that they’re seeing for 2026 and beyond. Sara Spirko, John Copeland, and Tami Bumiller discuss common pitfalls, market forces, predictions, and actionable advice for those seeking top talent – and for candidates looking to be hired – in the year ahead. Highlights from our conversation include:  Unexpected obstacles to hiring top leaders in 2025 (3:08) Shifts in client, company, and candidate priorities and needs (4:59) Competencies and capabilities that are essential for leadership in today’s market (7:37) Best indicators to predict executive success in the current hiring environment (9:42) How CEOs and boards can get the best results when engaging a search firm (10:53) The team’s take on whether hiring in 2026 is shaping up to be smoother or tougher than in previous years (15:59) In-office versus remote versus hybrid trends for 2026 (19:24) The evolution of compensation packages (20:34) How companies are thinking about hybrid or remote leaders (23:38) Advice for executive-level leaders considering making a move in 2026 (27:15) How candidates can show up authentically, especially given AI trends (32:09) How candidates can best connect with search firms like Noto Group (33:19) Visit HowIHire.com for transcripts and more on this episode. Check out the full 2026 Leadership & Hiring Trends Report. Follow Roy Notowitz and Noto Group Executive Search on LinkedIn for updates and featured career opportunities. Subscribe to How I Hire: Apple Spotify Amazon