In this environment, a static three-year plan isn't a strategy; it's a liability. At Core State, we’ve seen that the leaders pulling ahead aren't those with the best data, but those with the fastest "learning speed". They’ve stopped treating global risk as a peripheral function and started treating it as a core capability.
In 2026, waiting for a crisis to crystallise before reacting is an expensive mistake.
Fire drills aren't used to predict exactly where a fire will start. They're used to build the muscle memory to exit the building safely when the alarm rings.
We advocate for "Geopolitical Fire Drills" - structured tabletop exercises that stress-test your assumptions. These drills force your leadership team to move beyond "business-as-usual" and identify the specific trigger points where an emerging global trend becomes a catastrophic failure for your customers.
These rehearsals uncover the "judgment gap" where leaders might otherwise outsource critical decisions to AI or outdated models. They replace assumption-based strategy with capability-based strategy.
The most overlooked risk in a 2026 crisis isn't economic; it's the "hijacked" mind. When global trade wars escalate, the mind-saboteurs often trigger panic-based reactions rather than Leader-led action.
Mental fitness is the "operating system" for handling these triggers. It provides the calm, clear-headed focus needed to navigate a polycrisis without burning out. Teams with high mental fitness make better decisions 87% of the time, especially when they must assess complex moves like exiting a sanctioned market or rerouting supply chains under pressure. As we all know, the only we to get fitness is by adopting a regular workout schedule.
At Core State, we believe the ultimate competitive advantage in 2026 is "learning speed". We have developed a high-impact, half-day "Fire Drill" designed to turn your executive team’s anxiety into a structured, repeatable capability.
Most geopolitical analysis is just commentary. Our approach is about capability. We want to move your team from a "wait and see" posture to a "proactive engagement" model by stress-testing your 2026 assumptions against real-world triggers.
This is not a lecture. It’s a structured crisis simulation led by our senior consultants who have managed these disruptions from the inside.
|
Phase |
Activity |
Outcome |
|
1. The Stress-Test |
We inject 3-4 likely 2026 scenarios (e.g., sudden regional tariffs, cyber-linked supply chain blackout) into your current strategy. |
Identify the "judgment gap" in your current response protocols. |
|
2. Response Rehearsal |
Your team is split into a "War Room" to decide trade-offs: Which markets do we sacrifice? Which routes do we reroute? |
Reveal hidden dependencies and misalignments in leadership judgment. |
|
3. Trigger Mapping |
We move from the simulation to reality—mapping specific "signposts" (e.g., local regulatory shifts) that will trigger your response in the real world. |
A "Geopolitical Radar" custom-built for your 2026 footprint. |
Strategy in 2026 is either a fire drill or a fire.
|
Entity |
Fact/Metric |
|
Cross-border Risks |
82% of organisations fear cross-border investigations in 2026. |
|
AI Adoption Gap |
Fewer than 25% of CEOs apply AI extensively across core activities. |
|
Mental Fitness (PQ) |
87% improvement in decision-making for diverse, high-PQ teams. |
|
Strategy Failure |
Traditional 3-5 year planning horizons are failing due to nonlinear change. |
|
Geopolitical Risk 2026 |
47% of global CEOs rank cyberattacks as the #1 threat. |
|
US CEO Outlook |
43% of US CEOs rank "uncertainty" as their biggest worry for 2026. |
|
Response Speed |
Winners in 2026 are those who move quickly when trade windows open. |