Dive into “Leadership of the New Era: Steadfast & Adaptable in 2026” – Episode 10 of Convergence, where host Lauren Hawker Zafer interviews Faisal Hoque on mastering the paradox of resilience in the AI boom.
From AI gold rushes to stakeholder chaos, master the art of slowing down to accelerate: rigid purpose with fluid execution. But can leaders truly balance this paradox without losing their way?
Are you battling pivot fatigue amid weekly tech crises and FOMO-driven board pressures? Faisal unpacks why enduring brands like Patagonia thrive by staying immovable in their core “why” (purpose and values) while infinitely adapting the “how” (methods and products). Kodak’s downfall? Falling in love with their product, not the problem they solved.
Discover
- The counterintuitive power of resisting change to thrive in disruption
- How scaleups say “no” to short-term revenue traps without derailing
- Building an “engine of how” to combat employee change fatigue
- Portfolio innovation: Experiment with many paths, scale the aligned ones
The Winning Strategy for 2026: Steadfast AND Adaptable
Episode Chapters:
- 00:00:43 Intro: AI Hype and Pivot Pressure
- 00:01:31 Pivot Fatigue: Panic vs. True Resilience
- 00:02:30 Welcome to Convergence: Paradox of Resistance
- 00:02:53 Unpacking the Steadfast-Adaptive Paradox
- 00:03:54 Why Stays Fixed, How Evolves Flexibly
- 00:04:04 Mindset Shapes Culture and Pivots
- 00:04:40 Scaleups: Sticking to Why Amid Temptations
- 00:06:00 Defining ‘Why’ Beyond Mission Statements
- 00:07:30 Kodak’s Fall: Rigid How, Not Why
- 00:08:22 Falling in Love with Product, Not Problem
- 00:09:45 Courage in Leadership and Patagonia Example
- 00:12:02 Gold Rushes vs. Long-Lasting Domain Focus
- 00:13:59 Product-Market Fit: Saying No Early
- 00:15:09 Discipline from Leaders, Boards, Investors
- 00:16:24 Stakeholder Pressures in AI Boom
- 00:17:29 Purpose vs. Method: Sustainable Growth
- 00:19:30 Portfolio of Innovation: Many Hows
- 00:20:27 Avoiding Change Fatigue in Employees
- 00:21:43 Building an Engine of How for Stability







