Welcome to our first 5 for Friday of 2026!
This week, we’ve rounded up ideas, stories, and insights to get you thinking about the year ahead. From grey elephants already shaping strategy, to spotting hype versus reality, to books that stick with you long after you finish them. Take a look and see what’s shaping 2026.
1️⃣ Why being brilliant at yesterday won’t win tomorrow.
In his latest article, Dean van Leeuwen makes a compelling point: the most dangerous strategy today isn’t inefficiency – it’s being brilliant at yesterday. In a world shaped by accelerating AI, geopolitical complexity, rising costs, and climate volatility, strategies built to optimise past performance can leave organisations unprepared for what comes next.
Instead, leaders need to prioritise learning, experimentation and adaptability over rigid plans. Read Dean’s full article to explore why old-world strategy isn’t enough and what to do about it.
2️⃣ Why waiting in 2026 could mean missed opportunities.
Our first episode of Elephants in the Boardroom for 2026 with Graeme Codrington and Dean van Leeuwen dives into the forces already reshaping leadership, strategy, and society. From AI blurring trust to climate shifts quietly reshaping insurance and housing, to fragile tech investment models, these aren’t future trends, they’re grey elephants standing in plain sight.
The episode explores what it really means to lead when clarity doesn’t come first and how leaders can turn these shifts into opportunities.
3️⃣ Why ‘The Guardian and the Thief’ stays with you long after the last page.
Every now and then, a book sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. It stays with you not for what happens in the story, but for what it forces you to sit with long after you’ve put it down. This is true for ‘The Guardian and the Thief’ – a story about the world we’re shaping, and the future it points towards.
Jude captures this in her review: “This was not an easy read, and one that I had to walk away from quite a few times. It’s a truly beautifully written book, and will highly recommend it – but also, one that I never want to read again.” You can read her review on this ‘bestseller’ book here.
4️⃣ “Only 1% of AI layoffs were caused by AI” – Gartner, 2026.
As Graeme said on LinkedIn this week, 2026 needs to be the year we deal with reality, not hype. The leaders who succeed will be those who push beyond the hype to do things that really get the job done – in AI, geopolitics, climate change, and beyond.
Our team at TomorrowToday exists to help leaders like you to cut through the noise and build the clarity, capability, and confidence needed to take advantage of the opportunities that dealing with reality will bring. Read the full post here.
5️⃣ Is the way you ‘think’ as smart as the tools you implement?
A lot of organisations are busy upgrading tools, but the way people think rarely gets the same attention. AI, hybrid work, skills shortages – they’re real challenges, but mostly symptoms.
What really matters is how we adapt when the old ways stop working. Check out our recent LinkedIn post for a fresh perspective.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going… 2026 is shaping up to be full of big ideas and unexpected opportunities, and we can’t wait to share more.
If something here caught your eye, contact us and let’s start the conversation.