As AI accelerates the work, anchor in deeper relationships to preserve strategic influence

In 2026, your advantage isn't doing more tasks, it is sharper judgment and stronger relationships.

Korn Ferry notes most people can learn new technology quickly, but critical thinking takes years. Talent data supports this shift: 73% of talent acquisition leaders rank critical thinking and problem-solving as their top hiring priority, while AI skills rank fifth. Your thinking and your network are the edge.

I learned critical thinking by investing early in a relationship during my Microsoft career. Anthony W. Russell had an office down the hall. He has an incredible ability to look at information, identify patterns, spot gaps, and synthesize solutions. I could walk into his office and we'd talk for hours about a challenge. Those conversations taught me how to think better, and the relationship became essential later when I needed an advocate for my ideas or a supporter for my career.

Strategic capital often lives inside informal knowledge. Hallway chats, mentoring moments, and off-agenda questions carry nuance no AI report or dashboard captures. Critical thinking is how you interpret this human context and turn it into decisions structured data alone cannot reach.

Make problem-solving a social act. Reserve time for your team to share where a process failed and how you fixed it. Normalize vulnerability. Compare thinking. Build psychological safety by making the missteps and recoveries visible.

As automation reshapes organizational layers, you can lead through strategic influence. Translate strategy into human terms. Map how decisions land for each person. Use empathy to guide change so AI-driven speed does not break connection.

So this week, where will you practice verification, tap informal knowledge, and convene a problem-solving jam so your team gains speed without losing judgment?

If this resonates, share with your network to help more teams pair speed with discernment.