Field notes — complex Management in 2026: what is changing in Lugano for executives and managers
A foundation director in Lugano put it in one sentence: "It's not a tools problem, it's a courage problem." Hard to hear. Often right. 2026 marks a quiet but real shift for complex management in Lugano. Four weak signals, captured across our last twelve months of engagements, together draw a trend worth facing head-on.
Signal 1: AI absorbs intermediate tasks
Synthesis, briefs, minutes — all of it is now drafted with a copilot. What remains for the cadre is what AI cannot do: arbitrate, commit, embody. Complex Management becomes more central, not less. A single metric is enough: how often the target behaviour is observed 90 days after the workshop.
Signal 2: Gen Z demands continuous feedback
Young cadres in Lugano no longer accept the annual review alone. They expect weekly, short, calibrated feedback. Organisations that don't equip their managers see attractiveness collapse.
Signal 3: the return of physical presence
After five years of remote-work debate, half the organisations we support in Lugano are now tightening their policy. Not a rollback — a reset around high-value in-person moments.
Signal 4: ESG expectations enter behaviours
ESG expectations no longer live only in reports. They enter daily management: transparency of decisions, procedural fairness, legible pay equity. Complex Management becomes a governance topic. (our executive and employee training programmes)
Implications for training
Generic short programmes are losing ground. Organisations now demand contextualised, measured dispositifs aligned with their strategic trajectory. Standardisation gives way to honest customisation.
One last thought
What strikes us in Lugano is the loneliness of the leaders carrying these issues. They often have no one to talk to without political stakes. Creating that space is sometimes more useful than an entire training programme. To go further: explore the Complex Management training in Lugano, or browse our executive and employee training programmes in Switzerland.
In pictures: Complex Management in Lugano
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- 2026 trend
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