The newest shift in AI use is the growing use of AI agents, i.e. AI systems that can independently take multi-step actions and workflows towards achieving a set goal, rather than simply responding to individuals prompts. AI agents act with a degree of independence, which creates a new risk level. McKinsey’s 2026 AI Trust Maturity… Continue reading Agentic AI challenges the core pillars of good governance
Category: Leadership
Topics related to leadership practices
AI transformation is widespread but very uneven
The scale of AI adoption makes AI governance increasingly relevant, if not a strategic necessity. McKinsey’s report The State of AI in 2026: On the Road to ROI reports that nearly nine in ten survey respondents say their organizations regularly use AI in at least one business function, while 56% report use in three or… Continue reading AI transformation is widespread but very uneven
Ethical leadership in the AI era
AI is changing more than how organizations work. It is changing how they exercise power: whose knowledge informs a decision, whose interests are recognized, who receives an opportunity and who bears the consequences when something goes wrong. For senior executives and boards, this raises a fundamental question: how does the organization remain accountable for decisions… Continue reading Ethical leadership in the AI era
Chairing a board in the AI era
Good governance takes shape in the way a board works: what receives attention, whose views are heard, how assumptions are challenged and what happens after a decision. The board chair has a particular responsibility for making these processes work. My starting point is that the board chair creates the conditions for the board to exercise… Continue reading Chairing a board in the AI era
Policies are living documents, not governance artefacts
Organizations invest considerable time in drafting policies, guidelines and codes of conduct. The documents are reviewed, approved and communicated and then too often filed away as if approval marked the end of the process. Meanwhile, the regulatory framework changes, technology develops, risks evolve and responsibilities shift. A policy may remain formally valid while becoming increasingly… Continue reading Policies are living documents, not governance artefacts
From words in annual reports to lived values
Most organizations have defined values. They appear on websites, in annual reports, in strategy presentations and even on office walls. New employees may encounter them during induction, and senior leaders may refer to them when presenting a new strategy. However, in most cases when I have asked my client organizations’ representatives, what their organizational values… Continue reading From words in annual reports to lived values
Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling
“Is it legal?” is one of the first questions organizations ask when considering a new use of artificial intelligence. It is an essential question. Organizations must understand the laws, regulations and contractual obligations that apply to their activities. But it should never be the only question. Legal compliance does not automatically mean that a practice… Continue reading Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling
Four months left of 2026: Are you where you intended to be?
As August turns into September, there are four months left in the year.It is a useful moment for organizations to look back at the goals andpriorities they set at the beginning of the year and ask a simplequestion: are we where we intended to be? Setting strategic goals, approving an annual plan or adopting a… Continue reading Four months left of 2026: Are you where you intended to be?
Looking into the futures
Leaders have always needed to not only know what is going on in the current state but also to try to predict what will happen in the future. Trying to make sense of the future has never been an easy task. Uncertainty has been the only constant. And currently, the speed, scale and interconnectedness of… Continue reading Looking into the futures
Learning and unlearning
The pace of technological development, regulatory amendments and changes in the market environment means that knowledge, skills and established ways of working can become outdated remarkably quickly. This does not mean that expertise has lost its value. Quite the opposite. In the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Deep expertise is needed, among other things, to… Continue reading Learning and unlearning