AI is reshaping every corner of work, and the headlines are full of talk about speed, automation, and efficiency. But I think we’re asking the wrong question. It’s no longer about if or when AI will transform work, it’s already happening. The real question is: What makes us indispensable when intelligence is no longer scarce?

Across companies of all sizes, the gap between what a brand intends and what actually happens on the frontline has never fully closed. The further you get from the CEO, the more diluted the passion and the action become. The further you get from headquarters, the worse it gets. Most strategies fail at the execution.

AI is a force multiplier for people who understand the work. It rewards judgement, punishes vagueness, and makes clarity valuable again. Critical thinking, proficiency, and the courage to redesign what good looks like will matter more.

AI can streamline operations, but it can’t sustain an economy. For every human removed from payroll, there’s a household with less income, less spending, and less confidence. That’s the economic loop too few leaders are acknowledging.

Trump’s idea isn’t new, it’s recycled. Europe and the UK ditched quarterly reporting over a decade ago, hoping to break the cycle of short-termism. It didn’t work. Companies kept releasing updates because investors demanded them.

Habits are easier to start alone, but they only flourish in community. On your own, a habit is a choice. Together, habits become culture.

Culture is not crafted in glossy boardroom strategies or laminated value statements. It is forged in the unseen, those moments when no one is watching. It shows up in how mistakes are handled, how credit is shared, and how people behave when the pressure is off and the spotlight isn’t on them.

he All Blacks are the most successful team in sport, with a win rate of around 75% over more than a century. Their success cannot be explained by talent alone. It rests on a culture that makes performance habitual.

When I set out to write my book Reimagining Luxury, published in early 2024, I wanted to draw lessons not only from boardrooms and brands but from environments where performance under pressure is everything. That is why I interviewed Dan Carter, widely regarded as the greatest fly-half in rugby history and a central figure in the legendary New Zealand All Blacks.

An orchestra is one of the most powerful symbols of what it means to perform at a high level. Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of musicians, each a master of their craft, come together not to showcase individual brilliance but to serve a collective sound.