Change is not a threat – it is our opportunity

By Casper Ulsøe

42% of the world's top executives believe that their companies will not survive the next decade without fundamental changes. A new Danish IT company wants to show how Nordic management, structure, and an open learning culture can turn uncertainty into new opportunities.

Readiness for change is often referred to as a soft skill, something that belongs in the category of personal qualities and is on par with collaboration skills and empathy. But in a reality where technologies break through in a matter of months, where customers change their behavior at record speed, and where business models can quickly crumble, readiness for change is increasingly proving to be a tough competitive factor.

This recognition is shared by the world's top leaders. In April 2025, the global consulting and auditing firm PwC published its latest CEO survey, the Annual Global CEO Survey. In it, 42% of the 4,701 top executives surveyed indicated that their company would not be financially viable in ten years if their business model continued as before. This is a striking figure that sends a clear signal that the status quo is not a viable option.

At the same time, the survey shows that almost four out of ten companies have already moved into new sectors, but that the transition is happening slowly. On average, only seven percent of revenue in the last five years has come from entirely new business areas. In other words, the need to transform business models is widely recognized, but most organizations are still taking their first steps.

The global CEO figures emphasize that the pressure to rethink oneself is massive. But how do you translate that realization into practice in a context where there is a daily struggle to win market share?

At the Danish IT company Context& – a merger between Consit, Delegate, and Projectum – they have long worked purposefully to build a culture of curiosity, learning, and structure in response to the changing technological reality. CEO Jakob Schou points out that readiness for change is not just about reacting quickly, but about creating a framework that encourages readiness for change through play, testing, and learning.

“You will be most successful as a company if you maintain a sense of curiosity and humility towards the developments taking place around you, while remembering that you can always learn from both successes and, to the same extent, from mistakes.”

For Context&, the key is that psychological security among employees and structure go hand in hand. The Nordic approach—where hierarchy is combined with trust and equality—means that all employees can raise their hands, contribute ideas, and learn from mistakes.

“It is not a sign of weakness in business organization, but actually a strength when young and experienced employees are allowed to challenge each other,” says CEO Jakob Schou, explaining further:

"At Context&, this way of working is deeply rooted in Nordic norms and values. In the Nordic region, we build on trust rather than control, on community rather than hierarchy, and on openness rather than fear. It is not just a management philosophy, but a culture that permeates the entire organization – and enables us to turn change into strength. For us, the Nordic approach is not a tool, but a foundation."

He continues: “For me, it's never either/or. It's both: security and curiosity, but also structure, focus, and hard work. It is precisely in the tension between the two that we create tangible results – and that is what drives us as a team.”

At this Danish IT company, they make it a point to work at a pace that ensures the right decisions are made. With nearly 20 years of experience at each of the three IT companies that now make up Context&, they have extensive knowledge of IT solutions developed in close collaboration with their customers. At the same time, it requires careful consideration to assess new trends, because ill-considered investments can turn into costly experiences.

And that is precisely why Jakob Schou describes time as the company's friend. On the surface, this sounds paradoxical in a reality where the pace is increasing and new technologies are changing the market from month to month. But there are two meanings behind the statement.

Firstly, there is the psychological dimension: sustainable change takes time. It takes time to test, play and fail – because it is precisely from mistakes that new solutions emerge.

“Change is about giving time for processes to unfold. By giving time and space, we also give our talented employees psychological security so they can work with curiosity,” he says.

But time is not just about psychological security. It is also about organizational maturity, which is built up over many years. For a long time, Context&—with roots in Consit, Delegate, and Projectum—has invested in structure, governance, and shared learning processes.

That is why Jakob Schou believes that time is on our side right now: Context& has been through the learning processes and challenges that have given the company the necessary expertise and overview to navigate the extreme AI development we are currently experiencing.

This is where Jakob Schou's points hit on a global trend. In its 2025 CEO Study, the IBM Institute for Business Value documents that many top executives feel pressured to invest in new technology before they fully understand its business value.

Sixty-four percent of the CEOs surveyed say that the fear of being overtaken by competitors is the primary driver behind their investments. At the same time, the report shows that six out of ten top executives are already in the process of introducing AI agents on a large scale. This testifies to an enormous pace of change, but also to the risk of hasty decisions.

Context& addresses this challenge by helping customers make informed decisions, where investments are made based on actual needs and long-term goals – rather than fear. The same approach permeates the organization internally, where employees are encouraged to experiment, test, and learn in a safe space.

“We want our employees to get involved, test things out, and come back with evaluations. It’s not about being uncritical, but about being open to new solutions, testing them out, and evaluating them on an ongoing basis so that we can quickly acquire new knowledge.”

According to Jakob Schou, the point is that new technologies should not be implemented out of fear of falling behind, but in a sustainable way where the learning is subsequently anchored in the organization.

"For me, it's always about structuring things. It provides the framework for us to experiment without losing direction. Right now, when everything on the global stage is uncertain and unpredictable, it is really important to be ready for change, adaptable, and able to navigate. But all of this must be built on a secure foundation of trust, structure, and psychological security. At least, that's how we work at Context&," says Jakob Schou.

Readiness for change is therefore not a vague vision, but a concrete practice. Global CEO surveys show that many top executives feel pressured to invest quickly in new technology, even when the benefits are unclear. At the same time, Context&'s experience emphasizes that success does not come from curiosity alone. It also requires a persistent focus on structure, governance, and hard daily work. It is in the tension between discipline and openness that the organization can change and deliver stable results at the same time.

Jakob Schou describes time as the company's friend – not because development is slowing down, but because the organization has prepared for change through years of learning and experimentation. This foundation now makes it possible to act quickly without losing direction.

Ultimately, competitiveness is not just about technology or capital, but about the ability to learn faster than the world is changing. For companies that master this, change is not a threat – but an opportunity.