Ken Banta Explores the Human Factor Behind High-Performance Leadership

Ken Banta, Founder and CEO of The Vanguard Network, has released a new Substack article titled “The Human Factor: The Missing Key to High-Performance Leadership.” Published on October 26, 2025, the piece examines why leadership effectiveness today depends less on flawless strategy and more on trust, purpose, and human connection.

Drawing on insights from Vanguard Network discussions and senior leaders across law, communications, and public affairs, Banta argues that constant disruption, from geopolitics and regulation to AI adoption, has shifted the leadership challenge. In uncertain environments, teams perform best when leaders focus on meaning, belonging, and clarity rather than control alone.

The article highlights practical leadership habits that build resilience and engagement, including creating community, clarifying how individual work contributes to enterprise outcomes, and offering meaningful stretch opportunities. Banta concludes that while systems and strategies matter, it is the human factor that ultimately enables organizations to adapt, perform, and endure when the world refuses to sit still.

To read the full article on Substack, click here.

About The Vanguard Network

The Vanguard Network is a leadership community and advisory platform that helps senior executives sharpen foresight, strengthen performance, and achieve impact. Through forums, exchanges, and programs, Vanguard convenes leaders across industries to share challenges and solutions in a confidential, collaborative setting.