Navigating the great vibe shift

The Great Vibe Shift began around three years ago with the seismic change created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ChatGPT’s launch, and Donald Trump announcing his 2024 candidacy – augmented by Twitter’s change of ownership. Since then, we have all been living in a world that is different in a myriad of ways. Not better, maybe not worse, but different.

My starting point for thinking about this is that everything is interrelated.
You cannot seek to plot a path for your purpose and sustainability programme while not being aware of what your employees will be thinking about it in a different cultural context.

It would be short-sighted to focus on outdated perceptions of what Gen Z want, without realising that Timothy Chalamet shooting for greatness isn’t going to have an impact. That winning, being a genuine aspiration further supported by Boom Boom cultural shifts, isn’t going to change motivations.

Furthermore, that a multipolar world and a trade war aren’t going to throw up opportunities – however hard to identify they may appear today.

Building on that, the appropriate reaction should always be centred on authenticity. Let’s say it how it is and act in a consistent manner. Current levels of distrust are born of leaders seeming to bend to the will of public opinion – the Great Vibe Shift has shown the folly in this approach.

Underestimating their audience’s ability to understand complex ideas is a common failure among political leaders. The C-suite across the UK’s leading organisations must not fall into the same trap.

Finally, your best argument is still relevant. You may have to state it in different ways and through new mediums, but businesses mustn’t lose confidence in their core message – at about the time you’re losing patience, your audience is just getting on board.

In shaping my thinking on all things Great Vibe Shift, I am indebted to Ian Leslie and his Substack, and a fellow corporate affairs advisor, Nick Barron – we are all learning at a rapid pace what the outcomes of change will be, and I’m very comfortable standing on the shoulders of others – let’s watch closely how changes in global power dynamics play into cultural norms.