Success is no longer about changing strategies more often, but

“Success is no longer about changing strategies more often, but having the agility to execute multiple strategies concurrently. And success requires CEOs to develop the right leadership capabilities, workforce skills, and corporate cultures to support digital transformation.” – Pierre Nanterme

In this visionary statement, Pierre Nanterme, the late CEO of Accenture and one of the foremost thinkers on organizational transformation in the digital age, speaks with the foresight of a philosopher and the precision of a strategist. His words unveil a new truth about the nature of success in a world that moves faster than any age before it. He reminds us that the leaders of old could afford to change course slowly, to pursue one path at a time—but in our age of constant flux, the river of progress demands not a single boat, but a fleet of strategies sailing at once. To survive is to be agile, and to thrive is to make that agility a living principle embedded in the very soul of an organization.

The meaning of this quote lies in the transformation of what leadership and strategy mean in the modern world. There was a time when a great leader could shape the future by forging one grand plan and steering the company steadily along its course. But the digital age, with its endless waves of innovation, disruption, and reinvention, has changed the nature of the game. Today, no single strategy can endure for long; the winds shift too quickly. Nanterme teaches that success no longer depends on the ability to pivot occasionally—it depends on the ability to act fluidly, to weave multiple visions together and execute them simultaneously. This is not chaos; it is mastery. It is the art of moving many parts in harmony, like a skilled conductor guiding a vast orchestra through the symphony of transformation.

The origin of Nanterme’s insight can be traced to his years leading Accenture, one of the world’s great consulting and technology firms, during a time of global upheaval. He witnessed firsthand the dawn of the digital transformation, when industries that had thrived for centuries found themselves undone by algorithms, automation, and new ways of thinking. Rather than resist this tide, he embraced it. Under his leadership, Accenture reinvented itself as a digital powerhouse, guiding thousands of companies to adapt and evolve. Nanterme saw that the old model—where a leader could craft a single vision and execute it over years—was fading. The new model demanded continuous learning, experimentation, and courage: the courage to lead without certainty, and to act with confidence amid change.

History offers echoes of this wisdom in the story of Alexander the Great, whose genius as a commander lay not in rigidity, but in adaptability. When facing the Persian Empire, he mastered both traditional phalanx warfare and the art of improvisation. He understood that no single tactic could win every battle. His success came from the ability to command complexity, to see the field as a living thing that changed moment by moment. In the same way, Nanterme’s vision teaches that modern leadership must command not armies, but ecosystems—of people, ideas, and technologies—and do so with both precision and flexibility.

The heart of his teaching, however, lies not merely in systems or strategy, but in people. “Success,” he says, “requires CEOs to develop the right leadership capabilities, workforce skills, and corporate cultures.” For no transformation—digital or otherwise—can succeed if the human beings within the organization remain unchanged. A company’s true strength lies not in its technologies, but in its culture—the invisible web of values, trust, and shared purpose that gives meaning to every action. To build this, leaders must cultivate curiosity instead of fear, collaboration instead of competition, and learning instead of stagnation. The digital age is not kind to the arrogant; it rewards those who remain humble before the vastness of change.

In essence, Nanterme’s quote is a modern parable about the evolution of leadership itself. The leader of today cannot be a solitary visionary perched atop a hierarchy; they must be a gardener of ecosystems, nurturing the talents of others and empowering them to move with speed and creativity. They must replace command with collaboration, control with trust. This is the agility he speaks of—not simply the capacity to change plans, but the courage to unleash others, to allow the organization to become a living organism that learns and adapts faster than its rivals.

The lesson, then, is both practical and profound: to thrive in the modern world, you must learn to move with both structure and freedom. Do not cling to one plan, one identity, or one way of thinking. Instead, cultivate the ability to hold many truths at once—to act in multiple directions without losing your sense of purpose. Build teams that are curious, not complacent; build cultures that welcome change, not fear it. As Pierre Nanterme teaches, success today is not about a single bold decision—it is about creating a living, breathing organization that can think, learn, and evolve as fast as the world itself.

So let us take his wisdom to heart. Let us become leaders not of rigid towers, but of flexible bridges—structures that connect people, ideas, and opportunities across the vast expanse of the digital age. For the future will not be conquered by the strongest or the largest, but by those who are most agile, most human, and most willing to grow.