Latest news with #corporatestrategy
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Shailesh Jejurikar Elected P&G President and Chief Executive Officer
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) announced today that Shailesh Jejurikar, currently Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Jon Moeller as Procter & Gamble's President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. The Board has also nominated Mr. Jejurikar to stand for election as a Director at the annual shareholder meeting in October 2025. On January 1, 2026, Jon Moeller will become Procter & Gamble's Executive Chairman. In this role, Mr. Moeller will lead the Board of Directors and provide advice and counsel to the CEO on Company matters. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Joe Jimenez, Lead Director of P&G's Board, said, 'We thank Jon for his strategic leadership and guidance as he has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing P&G's integrated portfolio, superiority, productivity and organization strategy, as part of one of the most significant transformations in the Company's history. The Company has continued to consistently deliver strong growth and value creation through Jon's steady leadership as CEO. A strong plan is in place for sustained success and now is the time to transition to Shailesh as CEO. We are fortunate and grateful to have Jon continue as Executive Chairman.' Mr. Jimenez expressed the Board's confidence in Mr. Jejurikar. 'Shailesh has been an integral part of P&G's leadership team with substantial contributions across multiple businesses and in both developed and developing regions, notably in Fabric Care and Home Care and most recently in P&G's Enterprise markets. He has consistently delivered strong results in the businesses and markets he has led. Shailesh is an outstanding leader, and the Company will benefit from his ongoing leadership to build on the strong foundation he has helped create.' Mr. Jejurikar joined P&G in 1989. He has been a member of P&G's global leadership team since 2014, holding various senior leadership roles in categories, sectors and regions, and helped build several of P&G's core businesses including global Fabric Care and Home Care and in regions including North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has also helped lead the development of the Company's renewed strategies and operational results in the Supply Chain, Information Technology and Global Business Services. 'I am honored to serve as P&G's CEO,' said Mr. Jejurikar. 'P&G people, our brands, and our capabilities in innovation and operational excellence fuel my confidence for a future of sustained growth and value creation.' 'It has been an honor to serve as CEO of P&G, and I am incredibly proud of the value created by the people of P&G through an integrated strategy that is being executed with excellence,' said Mr. Moeller. 'I look forward to supporting Shailesh and the entire team as they continue to improve the performance and value of P&G brands and categories to win with consumers and customers around the world.' About Procter & Gamble P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. Risks and uncertainties to which our forward-looking statements are subject include, without limitation: (1) the ability to successfully manage global financial risks, including foreign currency fluctuations, changes in global interest rates and rate differentials, currency exchange, pricing controls or tariffs; (2) the ability to successfully manage local, regional or global economic volatility, including reduced market growth rates, and to generate sufficient income and cash flow to allow the Company to effect the expected share repurchases and dividend payments; (3) the ability to successfully manage uncertainties related to changing political and geopolitical conditions and potential implications such as exchange rate fluctuations, market contraction, boycotts, variability and unpredictability in trade relations, sanctions, tariffs or other trade controls; (4) the ability to manage disruptions in credit markets or to our banking partners or changes to our credit rating; (5) the ability to maintain key manufacturing and supply arrangements (including execution of supply chain optimizations and sole supplier and sole manufacturing plant arrangements) and to manage disruption of business due to various factors, including ones outside of our control, such as natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism or disease outbreaks; (6) the ability to successfully manage cost fluctuations and pressures, including prices of commodities and raw materials and costs of labor, transportation, energy, pension and healthcare; (7) the ability to compete with our local and global competitors in new and existing sales channels, including by successfully responding to competitive factors such as prices, promotional incentives and trade terms for products; (8) the ability to manage and maintain key customer relationships; (9) the ability to protect our reputation and brand equity by successfully managing real or perceived issues, including concerns about safety, quality, ingredients, efficacy, packaging content, supply chain practices, social or environmental practices or similar matters that may arise; (10) the ability to successfully manage the financial, legal, reputational and operational risk associated with third-party relationships, such as our suppliers, contract manufacturers, distributors, contractors and external business partners; (11) the ability to rely on and maintain key company and third-party information and operational technology systems, networks and services and maintain the security and functionality of such systems, networks and services and the data contained therein; (12) the ability to successfully manage the demand, supply and operational challenges, as well as governmental responses or mandates, associated with a disease outbreak, including epidemics, pandemics or similar widespread public health concerns; (13) the ability to stay on the leading edge of innovation, obtain necessary intellectual property protections and successfully respond to changing consumer habits, evolving digital marketing and selling platform requirements and technological advances attained by, and patents granted to, competitors; (14) the ability to successfully manage our ongoing acquisition, divestiture and joint venture activities, in each case to achieve the Company's overall business strategy and financial objectives, without impacting the delivery of base business objectives; (15) the ability to successfully achieve productivity improvements and cost savings and manage ongoing organizational changes while successfully identifying, developing and retaining key employees, including in key growth markets where the availability of skilled or experienced employees may be limited; (16) the ability to successfully manage current and expanding regulatory and legal requirements and matters (including, without limitation, those laws, regulations, policies and related interpretations involving product liability, product and packaging composition, manufacturing processes, intellectual property, labor and employment, antitrust, privacy, cybersecurity, data protection and data transfers, artificial intelligence, tax, the environment, due diligence, risk oversight, accounting and financial reporting) and to resolve new and pending matters within current estimates; (17) the ability to manage changes in applicable tax laws and regulations; and (18) the ability to continue delivering progress towards our environmental sustainability ambitions. For additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those projected herein, please refer to our most recent 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K reports.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shailesh Jejurikar Elected P&G President and Chief Executive Officer
Jon Moeller to Become Executive Chairman CINCINNATI, July 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) announced today that Shailesh Jejurikar, currently Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Jon Moeller as Procter & Gamble's President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. The Board has also nominated Mr. Jejurikar to stand for election as a Director at the annual shareholder meeting in October 2025. On January 1, 2026, Jon Moeller will become Procter & Gamble's Executive Chairman. In this role, Mr. Moeller will lead the Board of Directors and provide advice and counsel to the CEO on Company matters. Joe Jimenez, Lead Director of P&G's Board, said, "We thank Jon for his strategic leadership and guidance as he has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing P&G's integrated portfolio, superiority, productivity and organization strategy, as part of one of the most significant transformations in the Company's history. The Company has continued to consistently deliver strong growth and value creation through Jon's steady leadership as CEO. A strong plan is in place for sustained success and now is the time to transition to Shailesh as CEO. We are fortunate and grateful to have Jon continue as Executive Chairman." Mr. Jimenez expressed the Board's confidence in Mr. Jejurikar. "Shailesh has been an integral part of P&G's leadership team with substantial contributions across multiple businesses and in both developed and developing regions, notably in Fabric Care and Home Care and most recently in P&G's Enterprise markets. He has consistently delivered strong results in the businesses and markets he has led. Shailesh is an outstanding leader, and the Company will benefit from his ongoing leadership to build on the strong foundation he has helped create." Mr. Jejurikar joined P&G in 1989. He has been a member of P&G's global leadership team since 2014, holding various senior leadership roles in categories, sectors and regions, and helped build several of P&G's core businesses including global Fabric Care and Home Care and in regions including North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. He has also helped lead the development of the Company's renewed strategies and operational results in the Supply Chain, Information Technology and Global Business Services. "I am honored to serve as P&G's CEO," said Mr. Jejurikar. "P&G people, our brands, and our capabilities in innovation and operational excellence fuel my confidence for a future of sustained growth and value creation." "It has been an honor to serve as CEO of P&G, and I am incredibly proud of the value created by the people of P&G through an integrated strategy that is being executed with excellence," said Mr. Moeller. "I look forward to supporting Shailesh and the entire team as they continue to improve the performance and value of P&G brands and categories to win with consumers and customers around the world." About Procter & Gamble P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. For other P&G news, visit us at Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. Risks and uncertainties to which our forward-looking statements are subject include, without limitation: (1) the ability to successfully manage global financial risks, including foreign currency fluctuations, changes in global interest rates and rate differentials, currency exchange, pricing controls or tariffs; (2) the ability to successfully manage local, regional or global economic volatility, including reduced market growth rates, and to generate sufficient income and cash flow to allow the Company to effect the expected share repurchases and dividend payments; (3) the ability to successfully manage uncertainties related to changing political and geopolitical conditions and potential implications such as exchange rate fluctuations, market contraction, boycotts, variability and unpredictability in trade relations, sanctions, tariffs or other trade controls; (4) the ability to manage disruptions in credit markets or to our banking partners or changes to our credit rating; (5) the ability to maintain key manufacturing and supply arrangements (including execution of supply chain optimizations and sole supplier and sole manufacturing plant arrangements) and to manage disruption of business due to various factors, including ones outside of our control, such as natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism or disease outbreaks; (6) the ability to successfully manage cost fluctuations and pressures, including prices of commodities and raw materials and costs of labor, transportation, energy, pension and healthcare; (7) the ability to compete with our local and global competitors in new and existing sales channels, including by successfully responding to competitive factors such as prices, promotional incentives and trade terms for products; (8) the ability to manage and maintain key customer relationships; (9) the ability to protect our reputation and brand equity by successfully managing real or perceived issues, including concerns about safety, quality, ingredients, efficacy, packaging content, supply chain practices, social or environmental practices or similar matters that may arise; (10) the ability to successfully manage the financial, legal, reputational and operational risk associated with third-party relationships, such as our suppliers, contract manufacturers, distributors, contractors and external business partners; (11) the ability to rely on and maintain key company and third-party information and operational technology systems, networks and services and maintain the security and functionality of such systems, networks and services and the data contained therein; (12) the ability to successfully manage the demand, supply and operational challenges, as well as governmental responses or mandates, associated with a disease outbreak, including epidemics, pandemics or similar widespread public health concerns; (13) the ability to stay on the leading edge of innovation, obtain necessary intellectual property protections and successfully respond to changing consumer habits, evolving digital marketing and selling platform requirements and technological advances attained by, and patents granted to, competitors; (14) the ability to successfully manage our ongoing acquisition, divestiture and joint venture activities, in each case to achieve the Company's overall business strategy and financial objectives, without impacting the delivery of base business objectives; (15) the ability to successfully achieve productivity improvements and cost savings and manage ongoing organizational changes while successfully identifying, developing and retaining key employees, including in key growth markets where the availability of skilled or experienced employees may be limited; (16) the ability to successfully manage current and expanding regulatory and legal requirements and matters (including, without limitation, those laws, regulations, policies and related interpretations involving product liability, product and packaging composition, manufacturing processes, intellectual property, labor and employment, antitrust, privacy, cybersecurity, data protection and data transfers, artificial intelligence, tax, the environment, due diligence, risk oversight, accounting and financial reporting) and to resolve new and pending matters within current estimates; (17) the ability to manage changes in applicable tax laws and regulations; and (18) the ability to continue delivering progress towards our environmental sustainability ambitions. For additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those projected herein, please refer to our most recent 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K reports. Category: PG-IR View source version on Contacts P&G Media Contacts:Damon Jones(513) 983-0190MediaRelations@ P&G Investor Relations Contact:John Chevalier(513) 983-9974
Zawya
23-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Jollibee Group Evolves its Corporate Brand to Help Power Global Growth
Brand update brings to life its global purpose and positioning as a unified group of brands MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - The Jollibee Group, one of the world's fastest-growing restaurant companies, has officially launched its evolved corporate brand, marking a major milestone in aligning the company's global growth strategy with its long-standing values and vision. More than a visual update, the new corporate brand embodies the company's purpose of spreading joy through superior taste and underscores its evolution into a modern, purpose-driven global enterprise. The updated identity brings greater consistency across the company's diverse portfolio of 19 brands. At our core, we are here for one reason—spreading joy through superior taste. This purpose drives our innovation, defines our customer promise, and fuels our momentum," said Jollibee Group Global President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong. "Superior taste is not just what we serve—it's the reason our brands resonate across cultures and markets." While its legal entity name remains to be Jollibee Foods Corporation (PSE: JFC), Jollibee Group will now be the official corporate name. This brand evolution also includes a reimagined visual identity, updated brand architecture, and a unified naming convention. This initiative is designed to support the company's business, attracting new franchise partners and investors, enhancing connections with talents, and reinforcing the Jollibee Group's credibility as a trusted, values-driven partner. "Our purpose is more than an internal compass—it's our strategic advantage," Tanmantiong added. "It unites our people, inspires brand loyalty, and strengthens our connections with communities around the world." The enhanced corporate brand was first introduced to employees and key partners during the company's internal launch, supplier summit, and annual stockholders' meeting. It is now being rolled out externally across global business media platforms and corporate channels. "As we scale globally, we're not only expanding our reach—we're shaping a company known not just for business success, but for the joy and quality we bring to people's lives," Tanmantiong said. "This refreshed identity is a powerful expression of who we are and where we're headed." With its reimagined corporate brand, the Jollibee Group reinforces its position as a dynamic, forward-looking company poised for sustained growth and global leadership. Hashtag: #JollibeeGroup The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About Jollibee Group The Jollibee Group (PSE: JFC) is one of the world's fastest-growing restaurant companies, driven by its purpose of spreading joy through superior taste. Its portfolio includes 19 brands with over 9,900 stores across 33 countries. The Jollibee Group's portfolio includes nine wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%), and bubble tea brand Milksha (51%). The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S. and has recently invested in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology. The Jollibee Group's global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The Jollibee Group has been recognized as the Philippines' Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes' World's Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME's World's Best Companies and Fortune's Southeast Asia 500 List. Jollibee Group
Forbes
22-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Reading The Room Is A Strategic Leadership Skill
Diverse company employees having online business conference video call on tv screen monitor in board ... More meeting room. Videoconference presentation, global virtual group corporate training concept. Most people spend their prep time on content. They polish the story. Tweak the slide order. Clean up the numbers for the leadership team. Get the buy-in. But that's not where the decision gets made. Not really. AI can help now. It'll write the memo. Draft the deck. Sharpen your strategy. So your edge doesn't come from what you present. It comes from what you perceive. When you walk into a room of executives, you're not stepping into a presentation. You're stepping into a live system. A space pulsing with history, hierarchy and half-spoken truths. Everyone's got their own map of what matters. Some want speed. Some want cover. Some want to win. And some just don't want to lose. You might be there to pitch a project or get sign-off on a shift in direction. Maybe you're chasing investment for a new platform. But long before your first word, the real decision is already circling—in the glances, in the pauses, in what's left unsaid. You'll likely walk into a room where everything looks fine on the surface. But there's something off. A quiet tension between two execs. A budget conflict you didn't see coming. A project that steps on someone else's turf. The deck is tight. The logic sound. But the room won't move. Reading the room isn't polish. It's survival. The roles below aren't job titles. They're tendencies, patterns, lenses. A CFO might be your Humanist. A CHRO might ask the hardest strategic question. People shift. But if you learn to see the need underneath the title, you won't just present better. You'll lead better. I didn't always see it this way. Early in my career, when I was facilitating executive sessions or presenting strategy decks, I thought my job was to build consensus. To get everyone aligned, nodding, moving as one. But over years of working with hundreds of leadership teams—across workshops, boardrooms and hard decisions—I saw something else. The room doesn't move because everyone agrees. It moves because enough people see their own path to the same outcome. That's equifinality. Equifinality is the idea that people can arrive at the same endpoint through different routes. In leadership settings, it means decisions don't require identical thinking or full agreement. They require directional convergence. Each person may have a different motive, concern or lens, but they can still reach the same destination. If you're focused only on consensus, you'll miss the real alignment forming through tension, quiet resistance or fragile trust. The Strategist: Alignment Seeker Let's say it's Lena, the CSO. She's looking at how your idea lands three moves from now—what bets it connects to, what it threatens, where it ladders into the future. You'll likely see her pause when something doesn't track. One misalignment with a prior commitment and momentum can vanish. What helps? Don't just prove it's smart. Show why it fits the larger system. What she's thinking: If this knocks over something we've already committed to, we're not aligned. And if we're not aligned, we're exposed. The Decider: Action Driver Imagine Ray, the COO. Ray's energy is forward. He wants the plan, the cost, the steps. If you take too long setting context, he tunes out fast. You'll likely see him interrupt if the ask isn't clear. He's not being difficult, but indecision irritates him. What helps? Start with what you need. Be precise. Show the outcome. What he's thinking: If you can't lead me to action, how will you lead the project? The Humanist: Culture Carrier Let's say Priya, the CHRO, is in the room. She's listening for impact—not just organizational but emotional. Who this helps. Who it leaves behind. Whether it builds or breaks trust. You'll likely hear a question about voice or inclusion. One you hadn't prepared for. It might stall your flow, but it's not a derail. It's a safeguard. What helps? Frame the people implications. Belonging, voice, dignity. Show care, not just competence. What she's thinking: If this erodes trust, we'll spend a year trying to rebuild it. The Skeptic: Data Defender Picture Jennifer, the CFO. Jennifer doesn't attack. She asks. One sharp question at a time. She's not blocking you. She's stress-testing your thinking. You'll likely hear a challenge to something foundational—your comp set, your ROI logic, your timelines. If your answer is fuzzy, the room shifts fast. What helps? Name your assumptions. Bring clarity, not spin. Treat challenge like currency. What she's thinking: If I find one soft spot, there are probably more. I can't afford that risk. Diverse Modern Office: Businessman Leads Business Meeting with Managers, Talks, uses Presentation TV ... More with Statistics, Infographics. Digital Entrepreneurs Work on e-Commerce Project. The Operator: Feasibility First Now meet Jen, Head of Ops. Jen isn't chasing vision. She's scanning for consequences. What breaks. Who's accountable. What falls through the cracks. You'll likely hear a blunt question about capacity. Or a quiet one about who's covering the teams pulled into implementation. If there's no answer, the plan can wobble. What helps? Bring a rollout map. Even rough. Show handoffs, pain points and where readiness might be overestimated. What she's thinking: Don't hand me a beautiful idea and expect me to clean up the fallout. The Advocate: Inside Ally Andre, VP of Innovation, is with you. He brings energy, belief and early support. But he also wants credit, visibility and voice. Cut him out and his support softens. You'll likely hear him cool off mid-meeting if he feels excluded. A quiet shift. A missed reference. The belief stays, but the advocacy drops. What helps? Give him language, slides and soundbites. Let him shape the story. What he's thinking: If I helped build this and then am forgotten, can I still trust you? The Machine: The Algorithm at the Table There's one more participant in the room. Not human. Not on the agenda. But everywhere. The Machine—AI—now sits behind many of the decisions you're pitching into. It has already briefed the COO. Summarized your report for the CFO. Flagged reputational risks to the CHRO. It's surfacing issues, prompting questions and filtering tone in real time. You'll likely see someone checking a screen while you speak. That's not distraction. That's AI highlighting gaps or risk triggers. The Machine doesn't argue. It surfaces. It shapes decisions one prompt at a time. What helps? Assume it's working. Don't bluff. Don't bury tension. Name the tradeoffs yourself before it does. What it's doing that you can't see: It isn't emotional. But it speeds up emotion. Speeds up judgment. Flattens nuance. And it makes refusal easier. The Interplays: Where Power Shifts This is where decisions happen. Not in roles, but between them. The Decider and Operator might align fast but miss the risk the Strategist sees coming. The Advocate brings fire. The Skeptic brings water. You need both. The Humanist and Skeptic may clash. One wants care. One wants proof. Both want accountability. You'll likely see things fall apart not because someone objects but because no one bridges the tension between two others. Watch who defers to whom. Who goes quiet when someone speaks. Where silence lingers after a big ask. This is the real noise underneath. 'If this fails, it's my name on the line' 'If I stay quiet, I can't be blamed' 'Do I really trust the person pitching this' 'If I say yes, do I own it' No one says these things out loud. But they shape the room. Decisions don't run on logic. They run on self-preservation, ego, risk, memory and trust. For great teams divergence isn't dysfunction. It's a recalibration tool. Where You Stand Shapes What You See You're not just presenting. You're reading, feeling, adjusting. You're not there to impress. You're there to sense what others won't say. To catch the moment inside a pause. To name what's hiding in someone's silence. One mistake people make is this. They think reading the room means stepping back. Like being a fly on the wall. But that's not where influence lives. You don't belong on the wall. You belong in the center. Present. Grounded. Steady in your voice. The power of foresight doesn't come from watching. It comes from placing yourself inside the room. Eyes up. Body tuned. Reading patterns. Feeling shifts. Sensing the energy that floats in and out like breath. Because that's what an executive room really is. A living thing. It breathes. It tightens. It exhales. It moves even when no one is speaking. And if you can feel that—if you can sense it with your whole body, not just your mind—you move with it. You match it. You shape it. The best presenters don't walk out with praise. They walk out with momentum. Read the eyes. Read the silence. Read the room. That's where leadership buy-in starts. And the decisions begin.
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Systems-Related Business Skills That AI Can't Replace
Almost 10,000 US tech sector employees lost their jobs the week of July 9. The irony shouldn't be lost on us. Some of those laid off helped build the AI that rendered their jobs obsolete. Amazon CEO Andrew Jassey confirmed this trend in statements he made in March of this year. He said 'As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done…we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.' The very skills that once separated MBAs from the pack—data analysis, process optimization, strategic planning—are now performed more efficiently, and often more effectively, by machines. This disruption has shattered a long-standing belief: success comes from mastering models, frameworks, and quantifiable insight. For decades, business schools have been teaching MBA students to build discounted cash flows, run regression analyses, and optimize supply chains—all based on the premise that smarter analysis equals better decisions. But as AI takes over the heavy lifting of analysis, a new set of business skills are needed. These are skills that can't be codified into algorithms or outsourced to large language models. Some of them aren't even the skills currently taught in most MBA programs. These are the skills demanded in our hyperconnected, systems-driven age – one in which all the technical analysis in the world cannot yield the 'right' answer or even a 'best' answer. They are skills needed in a world of uncertainty, ambiguity, and change, not one of stability. They are the skills that help executives and students not just manage what can be measured, but also what they can't even see. Three capabilities build this edge: the relational, the cognitive, and the behavioral. These capabilities aren't just AI-resistant—they're uniquely irreducibly human. The Relational Edge: Listening Deeply And Building Empathy Executives are encouraged to speak up often, precisely, and assertively. But this focus on speaking overlooks something more transformative: the power of deep listening. In systems thinking, listening isn't passive. Listening is deep and active, so the listener can hear not only what is said, but what is not said and to build a stronger relationship with the listener. Deep listening is the discipline of being fully present with another person—suspending judgment, setting aside distractions, and resisting the urge to formulate a response. It means tuning into tone, body language, and emotional undercurrents as much as words, creating space for others to surface thoughts they themselves may not yet fully understand. Deep listeners catch the unspoken concerns and subtle cues that others miss. Deep listening But deep listening does not only apply in social situations. It applies in any situation, whether it's watching your children play or sitting alone in nature. The ability to listen--really listen--requires being willing to be truly present in the moment. In systems thinking, this skill is essential because it helps the listener build empathy and trust with the speaker. It also helps sense the broader relational dynamics at play across teams, departments, and ecosystems—relational dynamics that are not always visible and yet shape how people act and react. A meta-analysis examined the effects of perceived listening. The researchers found that in the 144 studies they reviewed, that speakers that felt heard would have stronger workplace relationships and job performance. Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, practices deep listening by 'farming dissent'. By encouraging managers to speak up when they disagree with him and listening deeply, he can avoid mistakes and see new opportunities. He claims that Netflix's 2011 failed attempt to rebrand the company's DVD-by-mail service through the new company Qwickster was because he did not listen. He was hell-bent on the new company, even though many people raised serious doubts. As he writes in his book No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention 'you have to be humble, you have to be curious, and you have to remember to listen before you speak and to learn before you teach.' This relational edge extends beyond human dynamics to natural ecosystems. Marine biologist Rachel Carson exemplified systems thinking through deep listening. She didn't just study chemical data on nature—she listened to the silence. The absence of birdsong became her signal that something fundamental had shifted in the ecosystem's interconnected web. In her 1962 book, Silent Spring, Carson wove disparate observations about nature and industrial chemicals like DDT into a powerful narrative of environmental collapse. By listening to what the system wasn't telling her—the missing sounds—she detected patterns that traditional analysis had missed. Her insight motivated John F. Kennedy to strike a panel that ultimately led to the formation of the EPA. Systems thinkers listen with more than their ears. They listen with their bodies, detecting signals from their emotions and their senses. This is embodied listening. Fire fighters do not simply see and speak about the flames, they sense them. They can detect weak signals in the business environment and are attentive of their meanings. Whereas AI can process data, it can't feel or sense the weak signals. The Cognitive Edge: Thinking Critically And Recognizing Patterns Executives and MBA students love frameworks. They rely on ratios and spreadsheets; students are inundated with 2x2 matrices and SWOT analyses. These tools simplify complex problems but seduce executives into thinking that complex problems can be cleanly dissected and solved. Yet these ratios and spreadsheets mask assumptions that frame the answers. This is why critical thinking is so important. Critical thinking is the capacity to step outside habitual models and mental shortcuts. It involves asking fundamental questions, reframing problems, and resisting the pressure to reduce complexity prematurely. By thinking critically, executives can recognize patterns that others may miss; detecting recurring structures, relationships, or feedback loops across time and domains. Systems thinkers develop this skill by scanning broadly, reflecting deeply, and continually integrating new insights into evolving mental models. Systems thinkers resist quick simplifications evoked by questions like 'What's the solution?' Instead, they first ask 'what is the right question?' And, in thinking critically, they can see patterns that others miss. Consider what happened when traditional analysis failed spectacularly. During the 2008 financial crisis, Wall Street's finest analysts missed the systemic risk building under their feet. In testimony to a Congressional panel, Former Citigroup's CEO, Charles Prince, admitted after the crisis: 'We did not foresee what lay before us.' Hedge fund manager, Michael Burry did. His insight came not from standard models but from noticing strange patterns: rising home prices, lax lending practices, investor complacency. He didn't just analyze mortgage bonds. He saw the system—the interactions among incentives, behavior, and structures. That's the cognitive edge: applying insight across domains to spot what others miss. MIT's Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee argue in their book, The Second Machine Age, that while AI excels within defined tasks, humans remain better at more creative tasks. Analogical reasoning—seeing connections across seemingly unrelated areas—is particularly salient to a complex world. Whereas machines can sift through vast amounts of data to make connections, they cannot make the meaningful connections that humans can make. This is the cognitive edge: the ability to identify patterns among weak cues across disciplines, question dominant narratives, and reason beyond the data. While AI can find patterns in past data, human thinkers glimpse possibilities at the edge of what's known. The Behavioral Edge: Embracing Uncertainty And Adapting To Change Business decision making seeks clarity through clearly defined goals and the stepwise actions that can take them there. Executives and business students alike are encouraged to make decisions about next steps with the best available data and the most sophisticated data analysis. This seduces people into fearing uncertainty rather than embracing it. The pursuit of more or better data to achieve well-defined goals delays action. In a world defined by constant disruption, waiting often means missing the window. Embracing uncertainty doesn't mean swimming in chaos and being paralyzed by the need for more and better data—it means becoming comfortable making decisions when clarity is elusive. This mindset requires executives to build psychological flexibility—a trait that requires the ability to maintain focus on one's goals, while adjusting to shifting conditions. This is about seeing the short term, while maintaining a focus on the long term. The behavioral response to embracing uncertainty is adaptability. When the business environment changes, systems thinkers don't panic. They pause and reflect. These executives are comfortable with change, because they experiment and adjust. They do not over-plan. These systems thinkers, though, are not skittish. They do not change direction with every piece of new information. Instead, systems thinkers are anchored with a strong sense of purpose and personal values. They maintain a general direction, and yet adapt when they learn something important and new. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, stresses the need for continuous learning and adaptability, especially for founders and entrepreneurs navigating rapidly changing markets. He speaks to the learning loop, where people remain responsive and adjust as new information comes in. For Hoffman, this ability to adapt in real time is a key marker of success, which he calls 'permanent beta' – the idea that nothing is ever truly finished and that leaders need to stay alert to how things are shifting. As he puts it, 'You know things but don't know the whole game, and you are alert to how the game is changing.' The key, he says, is to 'never stop starting.' Systems Thinking Skills Together, these three edges create a new leadership paradigm. Historically, business skills have been grounded in strong data analysis. Better data meant better answers. Today, AI can analyze data. Business leaders need to focus on uniquely human qualities, especially the skills that are required in a highly chaotic environment. Rigor and reasoning are now replaced with sensing, interpreting, and adapting. Business leaders need to hear not just what's said, but what's not said, ask good questions, see connections among seemingly disparate ideas, and remain adaptable to new salient information, while remaining anchored on a strong values and sense of purpose. AI has commoditized technical skills. The uniquely human edge is needed to manage within messy, nonlinear, often chaotic, human systems. These aren't just generic 'soft' leadership skills, but the survival skills for a world in flux. Leading institutions are catching on. Stanford's emphasizes human-centered design. MIT teaches managers to map interdependencies. Companies like Unilever and Google now train leaders in mindfulness and emotional intelligence, not just spreadsheets and strategy decks. Business now operates in a system. The skills to navigate complex systems are not only technical, which can be performed by AI, but uniquely human. To navigate complexity requires navigating uncertainty not with fear, but with curiosity. The leaders who thrive in the age of AI won't out-analyze machines. They'll out-sense them. This article is part of a series exploring how systems thinking can transform business decision-making, with practical frameworks and real-world applications across industries. Read the first article on How Systems Thinkers Can Avoid Bad Decisions.
