When I sit with experienced executives one question often emerges—not always with urgency, but with a regular persistence that demands attention—”Who is walking alongside those who will lead tomorrow?”

We stand at a critical crossroads. The leadership that brought us here—with all its wisdom and hard-won certainty—will not be sufficient for what lies ahead. This isn’t merely a gentle evolution but an urgent call to action. The unpredictability we face—in the environment, social fabric, economic vitality, and collective wellbeing—demands not just incremental shifts but a fundamental reimagining.

As the maps dissolve before us, what we need isn’t better navigation of old terrain, but an entirely new capacity to create paths where none yet exist. How will we develop those who will guide us forward?

I’ve noticed, across my years of community building, that wisdom transfers less in formal structures and more in the spaces between. This is the delicate territory where experience meets possibility when we shift from being upfront to walking beside. Here the binary posture of mentor and mentee dissolves and deep wisdom begins to emerge.

There’s a certain grace in unhurried dialogue that boardroom efficiency can never replicate—a rhythm that honours both the seasoned perspective as well as the exploration of new ways forward. Walking alongside creates moments where insights flow, not in one direction but in many, where senior voices don’t just instruct but listen with genuine curiosity.

The future asks something profound of us—not just strategic plans and organisational charts, but a fundamental rethinking of how wisdom moves between generations. In a world that is growing increasingly complex, perhaps the most meaningful contribution senior leaders can make is not their accomplishments, but who accompanies them on their journey forward.

As I walk alongside senior leaders my encouragement is that they walk alongside others, particularly those that have potential to be the leaders of the future.

So, here’s my question: In this moment of profound unpredictability, who is walking alongside you?