Leadership: Humans & Technology
Leadership: Humans & Technology In a world shaped by uncertainty and digitalization, clear vision, effective communication,
Rethinking Strategy: Leadership in Times of Uncertainty
What do companies need to remain future-proof in a world full of disruption?
In this interview, Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens talks about three central factors of strategic leadership: the ability to learn faster than others, the handling of cultural resistance, and the conscious use of new technologies like AI.
A conversation about opportunities in times of change – and about leadership as the active management of tensions.
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More InformationIn times of global uncertainty, increasing complexity, and profound transformation, strategic leadership requires a new self-conception.
Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens, a long-standing expert in corporate strategy, talks in this interview about core principles that can help companies navigate turbulent times.
At the heart of it: a frequently underestimated success factor – learning speed.
Those who quickly recognize how markets, technologies, and conditions change gain a competitive advantage that is hard to imitate.
Scenario planning, he says, is especially helpful – not to predict the future but to open up mental spaces and develop options. According to Müller-Stewens, strategy work primarily means expanding the range of options, not narrowing it down.
However, this openness often meets cultural barriers within organizations.
“Nothing sticks as stubbornly as past success,” he points out.
He warns of the “stickiness” of successful but outdated patterns, citing Boeing as an example where cultural change became a mammoth task.
The key, he says, is to consciously question company culture and to systematically enable, rather than delay, change.
A third major topic: the role of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. Müller-Stewens shares an example of a workshop where ChatGPT produced nearly identical results within minutes compared to a multi-hour strategic discussion. His conclusion: strategic work must be rethought – with AI as an enabler, not a replacement for human judgment. He is critical of over-automation but advocates for the conscious integration of AI into everyday processes to truly understand its problem-solving capabilities.
Finally, Müller-Stewens emphasizes: Today’s leadership means thinking in tensions – between profit and responsibility, between short-term success and long-term positioning.
The greatest challenge for leadership, in my view, is managing the tensions between different stakeholders.
Prof. Müller-Stewens
Bio:
Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens is one of the most renowned thought leaders in the field of strategic management in the German-speaking world.
He was the long-standing director of the Institute of Management at the University of St. Gallen (IfB-HSG) and played a significant role in shaping research and education in corporate strategy and strategic leadership.
His academic focus includes topics such as strategic agility, corporate architecture, stakeholder management, and the role of culture in the strategy process.
He is the author of numerous internationally recognized publications, editor of standard works in the field of strategy, and a sought-after speaker at conferences and in executive education.
Alongside his academic career, Prof. Müller-Stewens also works as a consultant and advisory board member – primarily for companies facing profound change.
With his ability to make complex strategic contexts understandable, he has been inspiring leaders in business, administration, and society for many years.
Three Core Topics from the Interview:
- Learning Speed Beats Planning:
The future cannot be predicted – but companies can learn to learn faster.
Scenario planning opens up new spaces for thinking and action. - Culture as a Key to Strategic Agility:
Clinging to outdated success models threatens future viability.
Cultural change requires time – and conscious leadership. - AI as an Impulse for Strategic Decisions:
Artificial intelligence changes how we work with options.
It does not replace strategy but opens new ways for idea generation and evaluation.
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Conclusion:
Strategic leadership in uncertain times requires more than classical planning.
It’s about expanding mental boundaries, questioning cultural patterns, and using new technologies wisely.
Prof. Müller-Stewens shows that future viability begins where companies are willing to evolve – with openness, courage, and strategic foresight.
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