Leadership turnover is taking a real toll on supply chain operations, according to a new survey from Gartner.

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More than half of supply chain leaders, 54 percent, say leadership turnover has “moderately to completely disrupted” their team’s ability to operate over the past three years. The survey was conducted in June 2025 and included 227 supply chain leaders.

The problem is being made worse by changes in how people work and the growing use of artificial intelligence. Gartner says these shifts are exposing gaps in how companies train and develop future supply chain leaders.

“Effective supply chain leadership has to shift from an overreliance on individual superstars, who our research has found are less collaborative, to leaders who are motivated and equipped to amplify the performance of their teams and organizations,” said Tess Frenzel, Senior Principal Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice. “CSCOs who are able to adapt their leadership strategies to build these types of leaders and design the roles and development programs to help them succeed will improve supply chain performance, despite the disruption inside and outside of their organizations.”

The survey shows several warning signs about today’s leadership bench.

Only 22 percent of supply chain leaders show the kind of team-first behavior tied to stronger business results. Most leaders still operate with an individual-first mindset.

At the same time, leadership roles are becoming larger and more difficult to manage. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said leadership roles now require a wide mix of skills and responsibilities.

Training programs are also falling short. Less than half, 49 percent, of leadership development programs were rated as effective.

Many leaders also feel discouraged about the path to higher roles. Only 31 percent said work-life balance is part of that path, and just 37 percent believe the promotion process is clear and transparent.

Gartner says chief supply chain officers need to rethink how they grow and support future leaders if they want better results and less disruption.

The firm outlined three big changes for supply chain leadership development:

• Reward leaders who lift up their teams, not just their own results
• Narrow leadership roles so they are more focused and realistic
• Replace slow, outdated training with faster and more flexible learning built into daily work