In 2025, we encouraged leaders to soar high above the EX winter from the year before, but external events have interceded. AI hype and destabilizing politics across the globe have cast a long shadow on your path to the future of work. Disruption is no longer episodic; it’s ambient. Many firms are so focused on chasing AI-fueled efficiencies that they haven’t determined what AI can actually offer, causing them to rehire terminated roles. Meanwhile, some employers genuinely want to offer innovative solutions to problems such as affordable housing or access to healthcare, but their efforts will fall flat if they miss the glaring opportunity to navigate uncertainty by tapping their employees’ creativity and experience.