EDITORIAL: NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

“The ability to interpret turbulence, rather than merely react to it, has become a defining leadership skill of our time.”

The recent Norman Broadbent and KPMG roundtable invited NEDs and chairs from the consumer market to discuss how their boards are ‘navigating an era of geopolitical uncertainty, market disruption, and shifting consumer priorities.’ 

One of the overriding themes of the discussion was the understanding that ‘black swan events’ (unpredictable, impactful crises) should no longer be viewed as anomalies. Crisis planning is a key part of board activity, but planning a response to possible events is no longer enough. 

Boards need to focus on strategy and analytics: what are the potential repercussions of the current political mood? How are demographic and cultural shifts affecting consumer behaviour? How can cross-sector dialogue help businesses to see the bigger picture? Interpretation is the new keyword. Those who can read the room and prepare themselves before a crisis hits, rather than just responding as crises unfold will be the ones who can survive - and ultimately thrive - amid turbulent times, where the only certainty is uncertainty.