When everything constantly changes - what stays the same?
I've always been suspicious of the term #transformation. It feels like a specific change in a world of consistent transition. I have instead preferred to talk of permanent evolution.
I recently attended a fantastic set of sessions led by Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva . It was her Reinvention Academy lab, a series of webinars looking at this idea in much more detail, demonstrating why people and organisations need to continually evolve and how to help them do that.
And the core ideas were powerful enough to make me think hard about how the work I do fits into this picture.
The context
I don't need to bang on about the world of constant change. We all know the score. Accenture now talk about reinvention as the core driver and their staff as 'reinventors'. The Firm's latest Pulse of Change report says that 82% of leaders see a higher level of change in 2026 than 2025.
The focus is moving from just implementing AI for efficiency to using it for "total enterprise reinvention"—deeply integrating technology to create new business models and growth.
Nadya's team have shown that all industries now see the need for constant reinvention, with some saying this needs to happen annually, not every few years. Scary and exciting at the same time.
So, what is constant amid permanent disruption?
But what I also hear and see from many sources is the danger of firms diving into technological transformation as a tactical move, focused on a specific function or process. Of course this is largely, but not exclusively, about the deployment of AI.
The MIT report last year suggested many AI initiatives have yet to succeed, claiming 95% have not yet created net value.
But even if the move is successful, what, if anything, is lost?
Here's where my areas of speciality guide my thinking.
The Strategic Narrative sets out what makes the organisation, service or team special, different and great. It is based on analysis and then articulation of HOW the company delivers value, WHO to, WHY they value this and exactly WHAT is the value delivered? It creates a messaging framework I call the Strategic Themes. It articulates mission, strategy and value in a way that makes sense.
The Trust Triangle is a framework to design high trust relationships with clients, colleagues, partners and investors. This is often about ensuring the Strategic Narrative is true, so that promises are kept and relationships nurtured.
In the maelstrom of turbulence it is more critical than ever to define who you are, what value you deliver and to whom it is valuable. Have radical clarity about these issues - the Strategic Narrative.
Central to this is the HOW - it is usually this that differentiates one company from another. This centres on culture, approach, method and what I call in an earlier article 'the soul' of the organisation.
Without this constant focus, tactical changes can damage the fundamental value story.
For example, automating a process without reference to the Strategic Narrative could threaten the perception among clients that they're getting a bespoke, personal service that cares. You can save money and time in delivery but crash the reputation of the firm.
On the other hand automating a process could free up time to amplify the areas that do make you special, different and great - as long as you are clear what they are.
And this flows through to the second of these areas.
How do you make the change and yet retain trust? It is critical to all success. In some cases the change can enhance trust, but only if this idea is central to the design of change and the way it is implemented. Consider ways it might destroy this fragile dimension to the relationship - and make sure these are incorporated into the thinking.
It's a cliche that with trust, you deposit in cents and withdraw in dollars. It takes time to build and seconds to destroy.
Change without direction is chaos
So, the key point here is that rapid change without a clear strategic direction, and done without a focus on retaining and growing trust, can be disastrous.
You can continually evolve what you do and the tools you use, as long as there's an awareness of why you do it, who for, and what they value most in your service. That either needs to be central to all changes - or consciously redefined as part of a strategic shift.
The key is strategic clarity, easily understood and communicated and genuinely used as a driver of change. And within that there is a need to intentionally retain and grow trust, and go very carefully in areas where this might be threatened.
Does this resonate? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Reach out on stuart.maister@strategic-narrative.com
