Best of LinkedIn: Strategy & Consulting CW 50 - 01

AI investment continues to rise, while leadership expectations tighten around outcome-based value and repeatable measurement

Scaling friction persists, with adoption, integration, and decision rights limiting translation from usage to business impact

AI agents are reframing work design, prompting debate over tools versus teammates and implications for accountability

Consulting delivery models evolve toward forward-deployed teams and closer integration of expertise with client execution

AI-first boutiques position speed and lean operating models as advantages over traditional consulting structures

A sovereign AI narrative emerges around local value capture, regulation, and cultural identity as a market opportunity

Technical reliability and infrastructure constraints remain limiting factors, including model behavior, bugs, and optimization tradeoffs

Research signals point to productivity gains from model scaling, with near-term upside concentrated in analytical and structured knowledge work

Data governance is repeatedly identified as the underfunded prerequisite for usable AI and analytics outcomes

Data migration is framed as partially automatable through AI, while still requiring human context and domain expertise

A recurring message positions data strategy as an investment agenda rather than a hygiene activity to prevent downstream AI stalls

Finance transformation is framed as change management first, with technology secondary to adoption and behavioral shifts

Organizational coordination overload is highlighted as a structural constraint, driving calls for clearer decision flows and role design

Leadership teams are cautioned against over-indexing on clarity when uncertainty requires judgment and iterative navigation

Systems thinking is emphasized as a core management capability amid changing skill requirements and technology acceleration

AI is reinforced as an enhancer rather than a substitute for fixing weak fundamentals in process and governance

Procurement is positioned as a strategic lever through transparency and technology, paired with courage in tradeoff decisions

Executive presence and communication craft are positioned as differentiators for credibility and influence

Onboarding is framed as an operating system challenge, emphasizing structure, expectations, and early productivity

CEO communication standards are highlighted as central to culture, trust, and organizational engagement

Talent narratives around AI emphasize transition and reskilling rather than collapse, with role redesign at the center

Tariff volatility is framed as a persistent planning constraint, elevating the need for scenario planning and geopolitical capability

U.S. tariff dynamics are positioned as reshaping corporate strategy through cross-functional and long-horizon thinking

Industrial strategy discussions emphasize energy security, including nuclear investment and supply chain priorities

IPO and M&A signals suggest cautious stabilization, with attention turning toward 2026 and AI-driven deal themes

Europe-focused commentary blends competitiveness concerns with investment-led growth and sovereign AI narratives

Macro data interpretation is treated cautiously, with warnings against distorted indicators and headline overreliance

Sustainability discourse centers on adaptation, operational integration, and AI’s rising energy footprint

CBAM is treated as a concrete trade and pricing mechanism reshaping compliance and cross-border cost structures

Carbon accounting standardization is positioned as essential for comparable reporting and credible decision-making

Audit priorities shift toward geopolitical risk, logistics resilience, cyber exposure, and fraud control

Digital Supply Chain Twins are positioned as enablers of real-time, end-to-end visibility and proactive management

Regionalization and sustainability pressures intersect in shaping value chain redesign and supplier strategy

Consultative selling alone is framed as insufficient, with proposition-led selling emerging as the new baseline

A foundation-first message is reinforced, prioritizing delivery credibility and execution capability overgrowth mechanics