Elephants in the Boardroom

Why the most experienced workers in your organisation are the ones most likely to be filtered out - and what to do about it.
Most organisations are facing talent shortages, productivity problems, and skills gaps - and overlooking one of the most capable parts of the labour market: people in midlife and beyond. In this episode, Dean van Leeuwen and Graeme Codrington are joined by Lucy Standing (founder of Brave Starts and author of Age Against the Machine) and Lynda Smith (CEO of 50 Plus Skills) to name the elephant: the ageing workforce is not a problem to be managed - it's a competitive advantage waiting to be unlocked. The conversation ranges from the collapse of the pension model to the four career archetypes that matter more than any job description, and from the science of crystallised intelligence to the concept of "refirement" - the positive reinvention of purpose and work in the gift season between 50 and 75.
You'll take away:
• Ask before you assume - survey your own workforce first, it costs nothing
• Design for re-entry - open your doors to shadowing, internships, and career conversations at every stage
• Reframe age as an asset - crystallised intelligence, resilience, and legacy-making improve with age and these are the factors that actually predict performance
Chapters:
00:00 - Lucy Standing on why "follow your passion" is bad career advice for most people
01:11 - Welcome and context: Dean on Standard Chartered's "low-value human capital" moment
02:13 - AI as replacement engine vs. augmentation engine
05:31 - Sponsor: Achilles
05:31 - Guest introductions: Lucy Standing and Lynda Smith
06:24 - The demographic problem: how retirement was designed for a world where people died at 66
13:55 - The pension time bomb: from 7 adults per pensioner to 2 by 2050
10:15 - The South African lens: Lynda on the "missing middle" and the post-apartheid youth bias
17:36 - The productivity-ageism connection: what organisations miss when they filter out over-50s
27:54 - Four motivation archetypes: strive, pivot, recalibrate, or complete change
31:53 - Age Against the Machine: the three "machines" holding people back
38:32 - Refirement: Lynda on identity, ikigai, and the gift season
51:31 - Practical shifts: what a CEO or HR director should do tomorrow
54:41 - Close: how to connect with Lucy and Lynda

This episode explores: Ageing Populations and Intelligent Advances - two of the seven grey elephants we track at TomorrowToday Global.
The Elephant you could name: Who in your organisation is within five years of the retirement line and quietly underused? Have the conversation this week.
Full shownotes, references and white papers: https://www.tomorrowtoday.consulting/podcast#episode-17
Sponsored by Achilles - building anti-fragile, transparent supply chains. achilles.com

We’ve spent decades making our organisations leaner, faster, and more efficient. But what if that optimisation is now the problem?
Graeme Codrington and Dean Van Leeuwen explore two forces reshaping leadership in real time: the “big squeeze” hitting global supply chains, and the subtle but dangerous shift towards outsourcing our thinking to AI.
As geopolitical tensions disrupt trade routes and expose the limits of just-in-time systems, we unpack what this “big squeeze” means for businesses - and why resilience is no longer enough. Instead, leaders must think in terms of anti-fragility: building organisations that don’t just withstand shocks, but improve because of them.
Shifting focus to AI, where the real risk isn’t the technology itself, but how we use it. Drawing on recent research, hear what happens when people stop questioning AI outputs, and why critical thinking is becoming a defining leadership capability.
Our interview this month is with Jude Foulston, a colleague at TomorrowToday Consulting and a leading voice on the future of education. She joins Graeme to explore whether current schooling systems are preparing young people for a radically changing world.
Using the TIDES model (Technology, Institutional change, Demographics, Environment, Social values), Jude explains how education must evolve - from content delivery to connection, from standardisation to personalisation, and from compliance to curiosity. The conversation challenges long-held assumptions about what schools are for, and what role parents, teachers, and leaders must now play.
Key takeaways
🌍 The “big squeeze” on supply chains
Global disruption is exposing the risks of hyper-optimised, just-in-time systems - making access to goods, resources, and materials more uncertain and expensive.
⚖️ From resilience to anti-fragility
It’s no longer enough to recover from shocks - organisations must design systems that get stronger through disruption.
🏭 Rethinking supply chain strategy
Nearshoring, stronger supplier relationships, and strategic excess capacity are becoming essential for long-term stability.
🧠 Cognitive surrender and AI risk
When people stop questioning AI outputs, performance drops - especially when the technology is wrong.
⚠️ Expertise still matters
AI is most powerful in the hands of experts who know how to challenge and guide it, not blindly follow it.
💡 Critical thinking as a core skill
Curiosity, challenge, and independent judgment are becoming non-negotiable capabilities in AI-enabled organisations.
🤖 Building bionic organisations
The future isn’t AI-first - it’s human-first, with technology enhancing rather than replacing thinking.
🏫 Education at a crossroads
Schools must move beyond content delivery and rethink their role as spaces for connection, curiosity, and real-world learning.
🔄 From standardisation to personalisation
Technology enables more tailored learning experiences - but institutions must evolve to support it.
🌱 Experimentation over certainty
There are no simple fixes for education - but small, intentional shifts by schools, parents, and leaders can drive meaningful change.
About the guest
Jude Foulston is Digital Director at TomorrowToday Consulting and leads their work on education, parenting, and future-focused learning. She works globally with schools, parents, and organisations to rethink how young people are prepared for a fast-changing world.
Jude is passionate about bridging the gap between traditional education systems and the realities of the future of work, helping communities experiment with new models of learning that prioritise curiosity, connection, and adaptability.
Elephants in the Boardroom is powered by Achilles.
Connect with Graeme and Dean:
Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn here
Email Dean at Dean@tomorrowtoday.consulting

If you're interested in learning more about the 7 Grey Elephants and how they're transforming the world you can download TomorrowToday's white paper here
www.tomorrowtodayglobal.com/greyelephants
TomorrowToday Consulting empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future, but to shape it. Staying ahead of the curve is critical, and we provide the visionary thinking and strategic execution you need to thrive.
Email hello@tomorrowtoday.consulting

Graeme Codrington and Dean Van Leeuwen open this month’s episode with a reflection on the volatility in and around the Middle East, not to add another layer of commentary to the news cycle, but to ask a more strategic question: how should leaders think when certainty is in short supply?
Using the grey elephant lens, they can see multipolarity happening in real time, alongside the changing face of warfare, and the wider geopolitical shifts that are reshaping trade, power, and supply chains.
Looking at the increasingly important signals we’re seeing on the grey elephant radar, hear what the decline of flying insects could mean for food systems, and the growing use of AI in medical research, where data analysis is opening up new possibilities in diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care of diseases including cancer.
Our interview this month is with Zavier Coyne, founder of Gen Z Coach, who explains to Graeme why the current generational conversation is about more than the usual “young versus old” dynamic.
Zavier argues that Gen Z are the first truly digitally native generation, and that this matters not only because of how fluent they are with technology, but because digital systems have shaped their communication, expectations, behaviour, and development from the start. The conversation looks at what this means for leaders trying to build multi-generational teams, how organisations can develop stronger generational intelligence, and why the real opportunity may be bigger than adapting to younger workers. It may be a chance to rehumanise work altogether.
Key takeaways
🌍 Reading the world through instability
Volatility is no longer an exception to manage, but a context to operate within - demanding clearer thinking in the absence of certainty.
🧭 Multipolarity as operating reality
Global influence is increasingly distributed, with power expressed through shifting alliances, economic leverage, and regional dynamics rather than a single dominant force.
🐝 The decline of flying insects
A sharp drop in insect populations highlights as a growing risk to food production, pollination, and the systems that underpin global agriculture.
🧬 AI where it matters most
Beyond the noise, the most meaningful impact of AI may lie in its ability to unlock insight from complexity - particularly in areas like health and scientific discovery.
📱 The digital native shift
A generation shaped by immersive digital environments brings fundamentally different assumptions about communication, feedback, and engagement.
💬 Behaviour shaped by environment
Workplace expectations are increasingly influenced by the systems people grow up in, not just by individual attitudes or preferences.
🤝 Generational intelligence as a leadership skill
Effective leadership now requires the ability to understand, navigate, and connect across generational contexts - not simply manage them.
🚀 Growth, ownership, and accountability
Performance is strengthened when individuals feel both empowered in their work and connected to something larger than themselves.
🧑‍💼 Rehumanising work
As technology accelerates, the opportunity emerges to redesign work around distinctly human strengths - creativity, connection, and meaning.
About the guest
Zavier Coyne is a leading expert on digital natives in the workplace, and an internationally recognised thought leader on ‘Generational Intelligence’. His work helps businesses maximise the potential of the Gen Z workforce and the generations leading them.
Zavier is a TEDx Speaker, future of work advisor to FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, BeVisioneers Mercedes-Benz entrepreneurial fellow, University of London guest lecturer, co-founder of Gen Z Coach and the world’s youngest Master Intuitive Psychology Coach. Most recently, he contributed his expertise at youth-impact sessions in Davos during the 2026 World Economic Forum.
Zavier is known as a trusted bridge between senior leadership and digitally native employees. He helps organisations boost retention, performance, and future-proof leadership by turning generational change into competitive advantage.
And crucially, he brings first-hand digitally native insight into the room - being Gen Z himself!
Elephants in the Boardroom is powered by Achilles.
Connect with Graeme and Dean:
Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn here
Email Dean at Dean@tomorrowtoday.consulting

If you're interested in learning more about the 7 Grey Elephants and how they're transforming the world you can download TomorrowToday's white paper here
www.tomorrowtodayglobal.com/greyelephants
TomorrowToday Consulting empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future, but to shape it. Staying ahead of the curve is critical, and we provide the visionary thinking and strategic execution you need to thrive.
Email hello@tomorrowtoday.consulting

Graeme Codrington and Dean Van Leeuwen recorded this month’s episode against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East. Following US–Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliation across the region, the situation is a reminder of how quickly geopolitical shocks can ripple through global systems - from energy markets to supply chains. Rather than trying to predict outcomes, the grey elephant lens allows us to explore the structural signals sitting beneath the headlines.
One such signal is the rise of prediction sites like Polymarket, where users can bet on real-world geopolitical outcomes. While novel on the surface, platforms like this reflect deeper shifts in how information, expectations, and risk are distributed and priced. Hear how Europe’s evolving role in a more multipolar world, is a sign that the region is moving beyond regulation, toward building greater strategic capability around critical materials, supply chains, and technology independence.
We are also joined by TomorrowToday Digital Director, Jude Foulston, to share how the team’s participation in 1% for the Planet is supporting a grassroots education initiative in South Africa - a reminder that businesses can translate purpose into practical action through targeted social investment.
Our guest this month is James Cockayne, New South Wales Anti-slavery Commissioner, to explain how modern slavery is a grey elephant embedded within global supply chains. Although widely acknowledged, it is still often treated as a compliance issue rather than a strategic leadership challenge. James explains why regulators are moving beyond disclosure toward stronger human-rights due diligence, and why organisations that genuinely understand their supply chains are better positioned to manage risk, strengthen resilience, and create long-term value.
Key takeaways -
🌍 Multipolarity and shifting power blocs
Evolving global order and regional power blocs are increasingly shaping trade, technology, and security dynamics.
🎲 Prediction markets and new information signals
Platforms that allow betting on geopolitical events point to changing dynamics in how expectations, intelligence, and information circulate globally.
🇪🇺 Europe’s strategic awakening
Europe is beginning to move beyond its traditional role as a regulatory power and is investing more deliberately in industrial capability, supply chain resilience, and technological sovereignty.
🏗️ The overlooked constraints of the next economy
Critical materials, water availability, and aging infrastructure are emerging as structural constraints that could shape the next phase of economic and technological growth.
🐘 Modern slavery as a grey elephant
Modern slavery remains widely visible but frequently underweighted in corporate risk management, often treated as a reporting exercise rather than a strategic issue.
🔗 Supply chains, governance, and ownership
Addressing modern slavery requires clearer executive ownership and a shift from compliance toward deeper supply chain visibility and collaborative risk management.
🤝 Stewardship and long-term value creation
Businesses that build stronger relationships across their supply chains are better positioned to manage disruption and protect long-term value.
Elephants in the Boardroom is powered by Achilles.
Connect with Graeme and Dean:
Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn here
Email Dean at Dean@tomorrowtoday.consulting

If you're interested in learning more about the 7 Grey Elephants and how they're transforming the world you can download TomorrowToday's white paper here
www.tomorrowtodayglobal.com/greyelephants
TomorrowToday Consulting empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future, but to shape it. Staying ahead of the curve is critical, and we provide the visionary thinking and strategic execution you need to thrive.
Email hello@tomorrowtoday.consulting

February 2026 already feels like a year. In this month’s episode, Graeme Codrington explores two forces leaders can’t afford to treat as background noise: geopolitical rupture and the unseen diversity inside their own organisations.
Graeme turns to China to illustrate what Kairos readiness looks like in practice: long-term planning, disciplined execution, and the ability to move decisively when the world fractures. He explores China’s five-year planning model, the intent behind the 2035 and 2049 roadmaps, and why preparedness consistently beats reaction.
Later in the episode, Graeme is joined by Dr. Sarah Babb to examine neurodiversity as a leadership and performance issue-not an HR side topic. They unpack what neurodiversity really means, why “normal” is the wrong frame, and how organisations can move beyond individual accommodations toward system-level neuroinclusion that strengthens innovation, talent, and customer experience.
Whether you’re looking at global strategy or organisational design, the message is consistent: what you ignore today shapes your constraints tomorrow.
Key takeaways -
🧭 You can’t keep up - so change how you engage
The world has moved beyond “transition” into rupture: fast, non-linear change that breaks old assumptions.
Your edge comes from frameworks, not feeds.

🦅 Kairos vs Chronos: the moment you can grab
Chronos is chronological time; Kairos is the window of opportunity.
Leaders win by being ready to move when the moment arrives-before competitors even realise it’s here.

🇨🇳 China as a strategic planning case study
China’s rolling five-year plan model has delivered an unusually high proportion of targets over decades.
The release of the 2035 and 2049 plans is a signal: China is aligning short-, medium-, and long-term execution.
Key shifts to watch:
Incentives for Chinese firms to globalise and welcome partners
A changing stance on intellectual property and global standards
Rapid trade responsiveness as geopolitical relationships fracture

🧠 Neurodiversity: the “unseen diversity” organisations are missing
Dr. Babb frames neurodiversity as normal variation in brain functioning, not a neat binary of “typical vs divergent.”
The opportunity is both internal (talent, innovation, resilience) and external (customers, product design, accessibility).
The real question for leaders: Do you want diversity of thinking-and are you prepared to support it?

🏢 What organisations should do now
Move beyond one-off programs and confidential “accommodations.”
Build strengths-based, skills-based teams and systems that let different profiles thrive.
Treat neuroinclusion as strategy: culture, policy, design, and leadership capability-not a side initiative.

💸 The market opportunity is real
Products, services, environments, and experiences designed for neurodiverse customers aren’t niche-done well, they create competitive advantage and loyalty.
Small design shifts (sensory load, clarity, choice, accessibility) can unlock demand without massive overhaul.

Elephants in the Boardroom is powered by Achilles.
Connect with Graeme and Dean:
Connect with Graeme on LinkedIn here
Email Dean at Dean@tomorrowtoday.consulting

If you're interested in learning more about the 7 Grey Elephants and how they're transforming the world you can download TomorrowToday's white paper here
www.tomorrowtodayglobal.com/greyelephants
TomorrowToday Consulting empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future, but to shape it. Staying ahead of the curve is critical, and we provide the visionary thinking and strategic execution you need to thrive.
Email hello@tomorrowtoday.consulting