Future skills at C-level Future skills events for executives

Human competence and artificial intelligence as management tools

In September 2025, two further Future Skills events took place with over 70 leaders in attendance – the keynote speech by Dr Arndt Pechstein and Dr Martin Schwemmle from The Future Company led to lively discussions and plenty of inspiration.

AI is rapidly changing the rules of the game – decisions are becoming more complex and uncertain, and leadership needs to be rethought. This is precisely why a growth mindset is becoming so important: the ability to question the old, embrace the new and learn continuously. The focus was on the tension between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence (HI) – and what this means in concrete terms for one's own leadership role.

Only through openness to change, a willingness to learn and the courage to let go of the familiar can leadership remain viable for the future.

Blockades and the importance of a Growth Mindset

It is often internal blockages that slow companies down. ‘We've always done it this way’ or ‘We don't have the resources for that’ – typical phrases that symbolise a fixed mindset.

The future needs resources – and the right attitude: a growth mindset. A view of potential based on the motto ‘What if?’ that opens up new possibilities and initiates pilot projects. Just do it instead of talking it to death. And thinking in scenarios that turn uncertainty into opportunity.

This creates the space in which innovation can truly grow.

It is often internal blockages that slow companies down. ‘We've always done it this way’ or ‘We don't have the resources for that’ – typical phrases that symbolise a fixed mindset.

The future needs resources – and the right attitude: a growth mindset. A view of potential based on the motto ‘What if?’ that opens up new possibilities and initiates pilot projects. Just do it instead of talking it to death. And thinking in scenarios that turn uncertainty into opportunity.

This creates the space in which innovation can truly grow.

Purpose, North Star and Moonshot Thinking

The terms purpose, North Star and Moonshot Thinking came up repeatedly. In these fast-moving times, they provide orientation and help employees and companies not to lose sight of their goals.

Purpose gives work meaning beyond profit and shows what a company stands for. It connects values with an overarching mission.

The North Star serves as a long-term orientation. It is a clear guiding point around which strategic decisions and improvements are aligned – and which ensures that everyone is working in the same direction. Defining and communicating the North Star is an essential leadership task.

Moonshot thinking complements these two concepts with the perspective of thinking big and differently. It encourages setting ambitious goals that go far beyond the obvious, thereby driving innovation and change.

Together, they form a framework in which future skills are understood not only as individual competencies, but as a collective attitude: creating meaning, providing direction and courageously breaking new ground.

Self-assessment vs. situation in the company: an honest look in the mirror

Participants used an interactive tool to assess their personal future skills – and those of their company. The conclusion: most rate their own skills higher than those of the organisation.

Conclusion from the survey:

• Optimism about the future: clearly evident – the majority see themselves as drivers of change.
• Fog competence: This is where the greatest difficulty lies: providing guidance without having all the answers yourself remains challenging.
• Willingness to experiment: Often hampered by old routines and fear of risk.
• Psychological safety: The area with the most obvious need for improvement.

Many managers openly asked themselves how credible they are as role models when it comes to transparency, error culture and dealing with uncertainty. These are also ideal conditions for a successful transformation.

From IQ to WeQ – collaboration as a key skill in top management

One of the clearest lessons learned from the events: collaboration at the highest level is not a bonus, but a key skill for the future. This is because while individual knowledge (IQ) is increasingly being supplemented or replaced by AI, collective intelligence (WeQ) determines the strength and resilience of an organisation.

What does this mean in concrete terms for top management?

• Shared responsibility with a clear focus
  WeQ does not mean a lack of leadership – it means a clear direction combined with the active integration of collective strengths.
• Away from lone wolf leadership, towards genuine team leadership
  The future emerges where leadership teams think together, challenge each other, allow dissent and share uncertainty.
• Cultural lever for change
  Whether silos or joint future planning dominate depends on the top. Transformation begins at the top – or remains empty rhetoric.
• Psychological safety as a basis
  Collective intelligence only thrives in a culture where openness, criticism and mistakes are explicitly allowed.

Conclusion

The will to change is there – now it's time for concrete steps. Growth mindset, psychological safety, collective intelligence and cultural change start at the top. If you want to shape the future, you have to tolerate uncertainty, allow different perspectives and act as a role model yourself.

One thing is certain: technology is changing our world. Whether companies merely react or actively shape the future is decided at the very top.