Cutting through the Noise: Adapting and Thriving in 2026

Introduction –

When asked what I wanted to share in one of our sister company’s newsletters (The S&A Academy) this January, I found myself reflecting on the last twelve months, and what 2026 may hold for our clients, and for ourselves, The S&A Transform Group.

I’m not sure how my other connections and friends feel as we leave 2025 behind, but I can honestly say that in over 30 years in business and technology, I have NEVER witnessed anything quite like it!

The level of noise, turbulence and, above all, the impact of AI across organisations of all shapes and sizes (whether real or perceived), has felt unprecedented.

Whether you are an AI evangelist, a sceptic, or somewhere in between (my own spot), its impact is undeniable, and it is only going to accelerate. The bubble may burst, but the bath water is still going to be there.

In 2026, the opportunity is not simply about moving faster; it’s reinventing how we work with these new tools.

I’ve heard this said so many times in my life, but this time it feels very different.

Adaptability

My experience with clients in S&A Transform in 2025 has reinforced one timeless theme: organisations that embed learning and genuine empowerment into their daily work (perhaps culture is a better word) are far better equipped to adapt, make confident decisions, and keep momentum through this uncertainty.

I know I am not alone in thinking that fast and focused adaptability will, I’m certain, become the defining capability for organisations looking to survive and prosper in 2026 and beyond.

Somewhat ironically, this reminds me of all those years ago of what the vision for ‘agile’ felt like, before it was bludgeoned into the mainstream.

One-stop shop

Reflecting on the idea of people being empowered and developed, we’ve taken the opportunity to integrate S&A Transform’s insight, consulting, and resourcing services with our Academy’s training capabilities, which feels so logical and feels like a truly distinctive proposition if you do believe in “people first”.

It came as no surprise, given the business landscape, that our apprenticeship uptake in AI, Data Management, and Software Development increased substantially in 2025 as clients leveraged their levy to build internal capability.

AI and how we’re helping clients

We’re also “walking the walk” on AI. Our experiences in using it so far have been fascinating and, at times, eye-opening. As many of my colleagues on LinkedIn have noted, it is essential to keep ‘humans in the loop’, which is exactly what we’ve done.

By combining the speed of AI with deep subject-matter expertise across our Communities of Excellence, we’ve seen significant efficiency improvements, which help in delivering cost-effective services for clients.

For clients thinking about how best to introduce AI into their business, please give me a call. We’ve developed several pragmatic services to help you get started.

With or without AI, our goal remains the same: to help clients shape and deliver growth and change at pace through their people, rather than building dependency on expensive and increasingly anachronistic consulting and resourcing models.

2026 is going to be interesting!

David Clark

S&A Transform Managing Partner