Do We Have the Right Team for the Future? Probably Not
Tripty Arya
March 1, 2025
C-Suite Leaders,
If the question is, Are our teams designed for the future?, the answer is most probably — No.
That is not a criticism — it is a reality that every enterprise is now confronting. We can publicly see many leaders elbows deep in restructuring. Jeff Bezos is back at Amazon, driving AI adoption. Satya Nadella is making tough calls at Microsoft to align with AI transformation. Mark Zuckerberg is already seeing returns from a shift to high-output, small teams. Elon Musk — despite his controversial methods — has thrown spotlight on productivity. Even, Jamie Dimon is making the news with calling out inefficiency. This is not a corporate trend — it’s a necessity. Inflation has made productivity the cost of survival.
Why am I thinking about this? Because AI platforms are often seen as a standalone technology solution, when in reality, they are enablers of organizational change. They help fill the gap of information and automation, to define a new state of existence. But transformation only happens when leadership drives it.
Corporate Teams are not designed for execution
Our organizations remain structured for a past era — one that has always rewarded process, oversight, and internal consensus but not speed, accountability, and results. The consequences are visible in almost every corporate function:
A culture of busyness rather than productivity. Meetings, reports, and status updates dominate the day while meaningful execution lags.
A managerial layer that is no longer fit for ‘doing’. Many managers exist to coordinate rather than deliver — adding complexity rather than efficiency.
A disconnect between leadership priorities and day-to-day execution. Many teams operate based on outdated mandates rather than the business needs of today. “Managing-up” is rewarded instead of being a red flag.
It is not uncommon in hierarchical organizations, where weak accountability and misaligned incentives allow inefficiency to persist. The wrong people remain in roles they are not suited for, standards slip, and the organization absorbs the cost.
Designing for the future : A Framework for Action
Organizations are facing a stark choice — prioritize execution or maintain legacy structures. The next decade will not be kind to some structures. High output organizations will be lean, fast and accountable. They will also be creative and technically agile. So, where does one start?
Audit execution competency
Identify which roles drive value and which exist purely to manage process. Limit execution priorities to three measurable objectives. Pick the easy ones. Evaluate for 90 days. If work is stagnating, it’s a competency issue — not a resource issue.
Ask about the specifics
Leaders must be directly engaged in execution — not just setting the direction. Rid yourself of the powerpoint decks. Ask for the detail. Include partners and vendors as crucial stakeholders. This allows for decisions to be made faster and execution improved.
Design in the office
Controversial. Yes. But high-impact work cannot be done in isolation. Teams must work together, in-person, to drive alignment and speed. Flexibility can return once the new structure is more certain.
Apply startup constraints
A day-one mindset forces reinvention. If you had only seven people to execute your company’s mission, who would they be? What skills would be non-negotiable? Creativity and transformation are often forced by scarcity.
Keep Moving
Remove obstacles swiftly and maintain momentum, even in imperfect conditions. Progress — no matter how small — compounds over time, making consistent forward movement far more valuable than stagnation. However, the same principle applies in reverse — a week spent heading in the wrong direction can be far more damaging than a slower, deliberate path forward.
The Bigger Picture: Competing in an AI-Driven World
This isn’t just about efficiency — it’s about adapting to a new future state. AI is transforming the way we work and think at an unprecedented pace, but without the right environment, even the best technology will fail to deliver results. It’s like discovering electricity but never wiring the house.
Some will lay the groundwork and harness the full potential of what’s coming. Others will be left hoping candlemakers will somehow light the room. The teams of the future will not emerge by default — they will be intentionally built.
Until another Saturday, next month.
Best,
Tripty
About This Email Series
This email is part of an ongoing Strategy Saturday series written for C-suite leaders and focused on the strategic shifts required to lead effectively in an AI-driven world. The insights and perspectives shared are intended to support strategic reflection and informed decision-making, rather than prescribe specific actions.
