January 2026 isn’t just another date on the calendar—it’s a line in the sand. If you’re still leading with a playbook from even six months ago, this episode argues you’re already at risk.
In this episode of vpod.ai, Mike and Susan break down why 2026 marks a fundamental shift in how organizations must operate to survive. Drawing on insights from Andre Pinar of C5 Capital, Dr. David Bray of the Stimson Center, and leadership strategist Ken Bant, the conversation reframes business leadership as a survival discipline in a world defined by AI acceleration, cyber warfare, and geopolitical instability.
This isn’t about marginal improvements or digital transformation buzzwords. It’s about operating inside a constant “gray zone” where businesses are active participants in non-kinetic conflict—whether they realize it or not.
Inside the episode:
- Why incremental change is no longer enough in 2026
- How AI, cyber threats, and geopolitics have merged into a single operating environment
- What the “gray zone” means for businesses and why neutrality is no longer viable
- Why technology decisions are now national security decisions
- How legacy systems and global vendors create hidden geopolitical risk
- Why cybersecurity must move from IT departments into the boardroom
- The concept of “blast radius” and how one tech decision can trigger global consequences
- Why leaders must make high-stakes decisions with incomplete information
- How waiting for perfect clarity has become the most dangerous strategy
- The danger of becoming a “problem admirer” instead of a problem solver
- Why organizational missions must become fluid, not fixed
- How 45-minute listening sessions expose the real health of an organization
- The eagle vs seagull leadership model—and why modern leaders must be both
This episode delivers a clear warning: safety no longer comes from stability. It comes from speed, alignment, and adaptability. Leaders who continue treating cybersecurity as a checklist, legal certainty as a prerequisite for action, or strategy as static risk becoming casualties of a war they don’t even realize they’re fighting.
If you lead a team, a company, or critical infrastructure, this conversation reframes what leadership means in 2026—and why the cost of standing still is now existential.
Subscribe to vpod.ai for in-depth conversations on leadership, technology, and survival in an era of permanent disruption. If this episode challenged how you think about the year ahead, share it with someone still using yesterday’s playbook.
