In this episode of The New P&L TO THE POINT, Paul explores the growing conversation around AI that increasingly positions it as an ‘existential crisis’ for businesses and society.

Drawing on insights from dozens of executive roundtablesheld across the UK and Europe with CIOs, CTOs, CMOs, HR leaders and transformation executives, Paul reflects on how the AI conversation has evolved at remarkable speed. In just a couple of years, organisations have rapidly shifted from asking What is AI? to How do we deploy it? and now increasingly Why are we using it in the first place?

At the heart of the discussion is a critical observation: many organisations approached AI implementation in reverse order. Businesses rushed into experimentation and deployment before establishing strategic clarity around purpose, culture and long-term impact. According to Paul, this is where the real challenge lies.

Rather than focusing solely on future fears around AGI orsuperintelligence, this episode argues that today’s AI crisis is more immediate and human: a leadership, capability and adaptability crisis. AI is not simply another technology tool; it is transformational and foundational, requiring organisations to rethink leadership, culture, communication and workforcedevelopment.

Paul also examines how AI acts as a mirror for organisational health, exposing weak leadership, fragmented data, siloedcultures and poor communication. Without clear vision, employee trust and meaningful upskilling pathways, businesses risk creating fear, disengagement and resistance internally.

Ultimately, this episode challenges leaders to rethink their relationship with AI: not as a transactional solution, but as a force that will fundamentally reshape the nature of work, organisations and leadership itself. Those who fail to adapt may face their own existential crisis far sooner than the technology does.

To discuss the topics outlined in this episode on moredetail, email: hello (at) principlesandleadership.com

To learn more about The New P&L and the work we do, goto: ⁠⁠⁠www.principlesandleadership.com

In this episode of The New P&L, we speak with Francesca Lagerberg, CEO of Baker Tilly International, the eighth largest global accounting network, spanning 147 territories, 50,000 people, and revenues of $6.8 billion.

The first and only British woman to lead a major accountancy network, Francesca brings a rare combination of commercial rigour, human warmth and strategic clarity to one of the most complex leadership roles in professional services.

Our conversation with Francesca spans leadership, culture,artificial intelligence and the enduring importance of hope.

On leading a global network, Francesca is clear that connection is everything. Without trust and collaboration across geographies, growth means nothing. She introduces the concept of ‘freedom in a framework’ a set of non-negotiable values, like integrity, that anchor the network globally, while leaving room for the cultural nuance that makes local firms thrive.

On integrity, she pushes beyond regulation as a proxy for values, arguing that ethical standards must be continuously reinforced through training, conversation and visible leadership behaviour. In a profession built on independent advice, integrity isn't background noise, it's the product.

On AI, Francesca is measured and pragmatic. She doesn't believe it's an existential crisis, but she's equally clear it isn't just another software tool. The real challenge, she argues, isn't the technology, it's the capability and culture needed to use it wisely. Leaders must be transparent about what they don't know, invest in upskilling their people, and resist the temptation to automate broken processes rather than rethinking them entirely.

On value and billing in an age of AI, Francesca suggests the real question was never about hours, it was always about value. AI has simply accelerated a conversation that professional services has been avoiding for thirty years.

On leadership and hope, Francesca argues that leaders have a responsibility to be honest about uncertainty while actively showcasing opportunity. The generation entering the workforce today are digital natives who can reverse-mentor their seniors, who have extraordinary skills in communication and connection, and who will reshape these professions from the inside. That, she says, is a reason for genuine optimism.

Her career advice is straightforward: stay curious, ask questions, say yes to opportunities and don't be discouraged by a path that meanders. "I don't think I knew what I wanted to do until I was about 50!" Francesca admits, and she means it as encouragement.

Key takeaways:

1. AI demands a rethink, not just an upgrade:Francesca's sharpest observation on AI is that the temptation to simply automate existing processes is a missed opportunity and a trap. The real prize is in questioning whether those processes were right in the first place.

2. Freedom in a framework is the blueprint for global culture: Running a network across 147 territories means accepting that a single, rigid culture won't hold. Francesca's answer is to identify the true non-negotiables, such as integrity, quality, trust; and hold those as sacred,while giving firms the flexibility to operate in ways that are locally relevant.

3. Hope is a leadership responsibility, not a soft extra:In a climate of noise, uncertainty and AI anxiety, Francesca argues that leaders have an active duty to surface genuine reasons for optimism: not as spin, but as honest counterbalance to a media environment that defaults to the negative. Addressing the opportunities clearly and consistently isn't cheerleading; it's leadership.

To learn more about Baker Tilly, go to: https://www.bakertilly.global/

To learn more about The New P&L, go to: ⁠⁠www.principlesandleadership.com ⁠⁠

To learn more about The New P&L Executive Leadership programme, email: hello (at) principlesandleadership.com

In this episode of The New P&L: Principles & Leadership in Business, Paul sits down with Dr. Andy Bass, a strategic advisor, author, and founder of Bass Clusker Consulting to explore a deceptively simple but powerful idea: the answers to many organisational challenges already exist within the business. The real challenge is uncovering and activating those ‘hidden assets.’

Andy’s work focuses on helping mid-market organisations improve profitability, productivity, and performance, not by adding more, but by better leveraging what they already have. These assets can take many forms: underused software, overlooked internal expertise, untapped customer insights,or siloed knowledge sitting in different parts of the organisation.

Too often, companies look outward for a ‘saviour solution’: a new hire, system, or acquisition, without first fully understanding their internal potential.

The discussion also challenges traditional top-down leadership thinking. Many organisations rely on a small leadership group to generate solutions, but Andy advocates for broader participation. He highlights approaches like open-space workshops, where employees collectively define problems and solutions.

This not only surfaces better ideas but also builds ownership and engagement. However, enabling this requires leaders to shift their mindset recognising that sometimes ‘you have to give control to getcontrol’.

Another powerful insight is the reframing of innovation.While many associate innovation with new products or technologies, Andy argues that some of the most impactful innovation comes from re-seeing what already exists. This requires moving away from a purely problem-focused mindset (what’s not working?) to one that also asks, ‘what’s working and how can we build on it?’

From a cultural standpoint, Andy introduces a simple framework: Curiosity, Exploration, and Ownership (CEO). Leaders must first spark curiosity, then create space for teams to explore ideas, and finally transfer ownership so those ideas can be implemented. This progression is critical for embedding change and ensuring it’s not just another top-down initiative.

Ultimately, the episode reinforces that leadership is as much about mindset as it is about method. The shift toward ‘starting with what works’ is not about ignoring problems, but about balancing problem-solving with strength-building. When organisations take the time to recognise and amplify what’s already working, they unlock energy, engagement, and momentum that can drive meaningful change.

Andy closes with a practical exercise for leaders: rate your organisation’s performance against your aspirations, then list all the reasons you didn’t score lower. This simple reframing helps identify existing strengths and opens the door to new opportunities.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Start with what works: Innovation doesn’t always mean adding something new. Often, the biggest gains come from better leveraging existing strengths.
2. Hidden assets are everywhere: From underused tools to untapped expertise, organisations often overlook valuable resources already within their reach.
3. Culture unlocks capability: Breaking down silos and aligning teams around a shared purpose, especially the customer, helps surface and activate hidden potential.
4. Leaders must let go to gain control: Empowering teams to contribute ideas and take ownership can increase engagement, accountability, and overall performance.
5. Reframing questions changes outcomes: Asking ‘why aren’t we doing worse?’ or ‘what do we already have?’ can reveal insights that traditional problem-solving misses.

To connect with Andy and learn more about his work, go to: www.bassclusker.com

To learn more about The New P&L, go to: ⁠www.principlesandleadership.com ⁠

To learn more about The New P&L Executive Leadership programme, email: hello (at) principlesandleadership.com