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In todays corporate landscape, optics often precede outcomes, especially in technology-led transformations. Announcements of new platforms, AI-powered strategies, or digital-first pledges frequently come long before the underlying infrastructure to support them. That was Teds reality as the chief growth officer at a global bank when his CEO unveiled a high-profile AI-Powered Growth Strategy positioned as a bold leap forward. The announcement made headlines and thrilled investors, but behind the scenes, the organization wasnt prepared. Ted was given a skeletal team of two direct reports, a patchwork of third-party tools, and the mandate to partner with five global banking divisions serving more than 500 employees. He was expected to turn the AI vision into reality with little structural support. This tension is commonand survivable. Leaders who maintain credibility dont scrap such pledges or decry them. Instead, they manage the gap between promise and proof. A well-intentioned CEO may launch an initiative to signal innovation, but when systems or skills lag, ambition can outpace execution. WeJenny, as an executive adviser and learning & development expert, and Kathryn, as an executive coach and keynote speakerhave identified five strategies to help executive teams navigate these moments with integrity and strategic foresight, especially when the initiative is more symbolic than substantive in its early stages. 1. Balance bold aspiration with candid honesty In the early stages of transformation, perception often outpaces progress. Stakeholders want visible proof that change is real. McKinsey found that 70% of digital transformations fail to meet their intended outcomes because senior executives either overpromise or disengage when early wins dont materialize. Those charged with execution must balance bold aspiration with candid honesty, communicating both the vision (Heres where were heading) and gap (Heres what it will take to get there) to maintain trust and momentum. Behind the scenes, Ted allocated 20% of the budget to data cleanup and capability-building, unseen but essential work such as strengthening data quality and governance, building the pipelines and quality controls that support mission-critical AI, and elevating the organizations baseline AI literacy. Within a year, three pilots validated the transformation narrative and quieted early skeptics. Edelmans Trust Barometer shows that stakeholders extend grace when leaders communicate with clarity and consistency, not performative certainty. Credibility, not charisma, sustains momentum through uncertainty. Try this: Balance vision with transparency. Use confident yet realistic language, such as Were learning in real time or This is a multi-year capability build. 2. Map Whats Performative vs. Whats Possible Not every element of a high-visibility initiative will yield immediate results. The key is distinguishing symbolic actions that signal intent from those that build lasting capability. Theresa, chief digital officer at a consumer goods firm, launched a public digital transformation week with town halls and press coverage. She brought in her AI agency partners and major retail customers to show alignment and signal momentum, partnership, and focus. The event created attention, but she knew the real work would happen out of sight. She used a short-horizon/long-horizon approach. The short horizon created urgency and rallied stakeholders, while the longer horizon anchored on execution. She reassigned 30% of her team to integrate legacy systems, clean priority datasets, and run joint sprints with her AI partners. That groundwork created a technical foundation strong enough to support advanced modeling. Within nine months, they delivered a demand-forecasting model that reduced inventory outages by 18%, transforming a performative launch into measurable operational value. When mapping an initiative, clarify two horizons: Short horizon (06 months): What signals matter? (e.g., visible executive sponsorship, internal messaging, external storytelling) Mid / long horizon (624+ months): What structural enablers must be built? (e.g., data platforms, technology partnerships, governance, skills) Visibility matters, but only when its paired with substance. Try this: Separate the symbolic from the structural. Create a two-horizon map to test balance: Which actions build momentum? and Which build capability? Then ensure both are visible. 3. Leverage Visibility as Currency When a high-profile initiative captures attention, use that spotlight to build political capital and secure future resources. Leaders who link early symbolic wins to longer-term learning sustain engagement and trust. Julie, a chief marketing officer we advised, leveraged her companys Digital Reinvention campaign to secure additional funding for employee upskilling, positioning it as the bridge between aspiration and execution. Try this: Treat visibility not as validation, but as leverage. Ask, What can this attention buy us: credibility, talent, or momentum? That perspective turns optics from vanity to value. 4. Build Small Wins that Prove Real Value Symbolic gestures lose power without substance. Once the spotlight fades, stakeholders want proof. Anchor your narrative in small, visible wins: projects, pilots, or behaviors that validate early promises. Start with pilots that address real pain points: automate a reporting process, improve data access for a critical team, or integrate AI into a single workflow. For Ted, that meant delivering credible proof pointsan AI-powered lead scoring model that lifted conversion rates by 12%, a unified customer insights dashboard, and a monthly What Were Learning series to build internal momentum. Small, visible progress converts skepticism into trust and gradually shifts perception from Its all optics to Its starting to work. Try this: Start small, but make progress visible. Choose one pilot that solves a visible pain point within 90 days. Publicize lessons learned, not just the result, to show that momentum is real, even if imperfect. 5. Reframe the Narrative: From Optics to Opportunity The best leaders dont deny the optics, they reframe them as stepping stones to a larger transformation. Gary, a nonprofit CEO we coached, introduced his first AI pilot as symbolic but necessary. It wasnt yet transformative, but it sparked a mindset shift: leaders began talking about data ethics, digital fluency, and decision-making transparency. As he put it, The project wasnt about the tool. It was about changing how we think. Reframing is essential. Deloitte and BCG both show that real value emerges when strategy, technology, and human systems align. Symbolic gestures only matter if they lead to lasting capability and behavior change. When leaders treat optics as openings rather than distractions, they turn visibility into belief. Stakeholders who see learning, transparency, and follow-through extend trust, and grant the runway needed for real transformation. Try this: Name the signal and the shift. Say, This initiative signals where were headed. Then ask, What new conversations or capabilities did this open up? In complex transformations, optics are not the enemy. Theyre a catalyst for belief. What matters is how leaders use those moments to align teams, secure investment, and guide the narrative from promise to proof. Integrity isnt about rejecting optics; its about ensuring they serve a larger purpose. The most effective leaders turn visibility into accountability and symbolic beginnings into lasting systems.
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E-Commerce
UnitedHealth Group has laid off dozens of remote employees in healthcare technology and services marketing from its Optum unit, who were given two weeks notice in November, sources told Health Payer Specialist. Fast Company has reached out to UnitedHealth for confirmation. Those employees were based in “multiple states on the East coast and in the Midwest,” according to that report, and are among UnitedHealth’s roughly 400,000 employees across the U.S. (It is the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest healthcare insurer.) The healthcare giant is just the latest company in a string of industries to announce layoffs, which have hit almost every sector of the American economy in 2025. The layoffs come amid fierce criticism of the company’s healthcare and insurance practices. UnitedHealth Group and UnitedHealthcare have received backlash and widespread criticism over consumer allegations of costly insurance, overbilling, denial of necessary care, and patient privacy violations, among other complaints. (UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder in December 2024 was met with little sympathy by some Americans, as Fast Company previously reported.) On Friday, the company released the first round of results of an independent audit of its business, saying it was committed “to setting a new standard of transparency for the health care marketplace,” and vowing to make improvements through “23 action plans”with 65% to be completed by the end of 2025, and all 100% by the end of the first quarter of next year in March 2026. Those include: enhancing policy governance and maintenance, strengthening processes for ongoing monitoring and tracking progress of corrective actions, enhancing risk, and optimizing manufacturer discount processes. “We hope that you see these assessments as a commitment to setting a new standard of transparency for the health care marketplace, as we believe that you and every person who engages with our health system deserves to understand how we go about our work,” CEO Steve Hemsley said in the statement.
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E-Commerce
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for the stock market, which may be headed for a “Santa Claus Rally,” according to analysts, including at Goldman Sachs and Citadel Securities. Barring any major shocks, it will be hard to fight the overwhelmingly positive seasonal period we are entering and the cleaner positioning set-up, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.s trading desk team said in a client note, as reported by Bloomberg. While we dont necessarily see a dramatic rally, we do think there is room to go up from here into year end.” Scott Rubner of Citadel Securities agreed, noting: “Following a year of strong portfolio returns and record household wealth, retail participants enter 2026 with both conviction and balance-sheet capacity to increase market participation.” Markets saw a pickup in volatility between November and mid-December, but that volatility appears to be easing, stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research Ethan Feller told Fast Company. “At the same time, major indexes are consolidating just below record highs. Taken together, those conditions tilt the odds toward a Santa Claus rally this year,” he added. Here’s what to know about the so-called “Santa Claus Rally.” What is a Santa Claus Rally, anyway? A so-called “Santa Claus Rally” refers to a rally in the last five trading days of the year, and the first two of the next year. On those days, the S&P 500 Index has gained an average of 1.3% about 79% of the time since 1950, according to Investopedia. With those odds of nearly 80%, the likelihood is pretty good, but not guaranteed. On Wall Street, the saying goes, “If Santa Claus should fail to call, bears may come to Broad and Wall.” Meaning, if there is no rally, that can be a bad sign for the year ahead. Why does the Santa rally occur? There are a few general theories about why this year-end rally exists, including: holiday spending, year-end bonuses that get recirculated into the market, general holiday optimism, and end-of-tax-year considerations. How is the S&P 500 Index performing now? At the close of afternoon trading on Friday, the S&P 500 Index was up nearly 1% at 6,834.50, well above the 6,000 threshold. It closed up 0.8% on Thursday, after four straight days of losses. What are some risk factors this year? There are some reasons for concern. Some analysts told Barron’s it is too early to tell if there will be a “Santa Claus rally” before those five days start on December 24, as they are still assessing how inflation, the labor market, consumer spending, and future Fed rate cuts could pave the way for Santa’s return.
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E-Commerce
Much like how the character Jack Dawson proudly proclaims to be king of the world after boarding the Titanic, film director James Cameron could claim to be king of the box office. Cameron chooses to take a mellower approach, letting the numbers do the talking. His latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, hits theaters this Friday and is primed to break even more box office records. Lets take a look at the history of this franchise before we discuss industry projections. A brief history of the ‘Avatar’ films The first Avatar film came out in 2009 and received generally positive reviews. Cameron and his artists have so lovingly imagined the moon of Pandora that every shot of the film contains new wonders. One can lose oneself in this world, gushed Vultures Bilge Ebiri.On both the domestic and world stages, Avatar became the highest grossing film of all time. Domestically, Star Wars: Episode VIIThe Force Awakens dethroned it in 2015, and similarly, Avengers: Endgame took the No. 1 spot worldwide in 2019. However, Avatar fought back in 2021 and retook the title of worldwide highest grossing film of all time thanks to a re-release. Beyond box office records, the first Avatar film also introduced the industry and audiences to new technology. Cameron and his team developed the Fusion Camera System, which shot in 3D. Additionally, the team utilized virtual cinematography to aid in the motion-captured sequences. The release of Avatar: The Way of Water, the second film in the series, was delayed, in part, so even more technology could catch up with Camerons vision. This time around, Cameron created new ways to film underwater to introduce a new group of Navi, the moon-dwelling species at the heart of the franchise. The 2022 release also marked an expansion of the scope of the project. Camerons original idea was to make a trilogy. After establishing a writers’ room in 2013, three movies became five. Camerons gamble paid off as the sequel became the third highest-grossing film of all time globally. [Image: 20th Century Studios] What are critics saying about ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ so far? Ahead of its theatrical release, critics have given Avatar: Fire and Ash mixed reviews. Most praise the films visuals, but lament the thin repetitive storyline. Fire and Ash is sound and fury signifying nothing. Or at least nothing excitingly new, wrote David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter. Owen Gleiberman of Variety agreed and even posed a hard question. Its fine, but do we actually care about it? On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie had a 67% Tomatometer rating and a 93% Popcornmeter rating as of Friday. What are the box office predictions? Despite the mixed reviews, Avatar: Fire and Ash is still expected to perform well at the box office. Variety predicts the film will make $90 million to $105 million domestically on its opening weekend and an additional $250 million to $275 million around the world. (Deadline makes a similar forecast with a combined global box office of $340 million to $380 million.) The previous Avatar films, Variety further notes, become record breakers not only because of impressive opening weekends but also because of long-running box office dominance. Fire and Ash is expected to follow the same pattern. If it does, the potential is huge. Combined, the previous two films have already generated more than $5 billion at the global box office. Either way, the movie is expected to be a boon for Twentieth Century Studios and parent the Walt Disney Company.
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E-Commerce
The discovery of the body of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese national who studied physics at Brown University, earlier this week in a New Hampshire storage facility brought closure to two alarming cases. Authorities say they believe Valente, a 48-year-old who recently arrived in Boston, was behind the December 13 mass shooting at Brown University, and the December 16 murder of MIT professor Nuno Loureiro. The identification of Valente brings calm to communities worried about a mass killer on the loose. But it also puts the lie to theories floated by right-wing influencers, including Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire. In recent days, Maguire, acting as a self-appointed digital detective, has shared posts suggesting that an entirely different man was behind the crimesa Palestinian student at Brown University. On December 16, in a post on X that has subsequently been deleted, Maguire speculated that it seems very likely that the student was behind the shooting, pointing to the fact that Brown is actively scrubbing his online presence. In fact, the student’s digital footprints were being wiped as a protective measure against rampant, errant speculation about his link to the shootings. Accusations, speculation and conspiracies were seeing on social media and in some news reports are irresponsible, harmful, and in some cases dangerous for the safety of individuals in our community, Brian Clark, vice president for news and strategic campus communications at Brown, told Fast Company in an emailed statement. It is not unusual as a safety measure to take steps to protect an individuals safety when this kind of activity happens, including in regard to their online presence. Clark adds: Its important to make clear that targeting individuals could do irrevocable harm.Neither Maguire, nor Sequoia, responded to interview requests for this story. Natalie Miyake, Sequoia Capitals communications partner, was not available when Fast Company called the firms offices. Still online is a subsequent post by Maguire speculating that MIT professor Loureiro was shot because he was Jewish. As evidence, Maguire points to a Google Gemini chatbot response and a Threads post criticizing Hamas. That Threads post is by a person sharing the same name as the slain man — but not actually the MIT professor. The tenuous attempts to link an innocent man to a mass murder and a subsequent slaying follow months of inflammatory posts by the venture capitalist targeting Muslims and pro-Palestine activists. On July 4, Maguire made inflammatory comments calling New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani an Islamist, which resulted in an open letter calling for his firing that gained more than 1,000 signatures. Maguire subsequently partially apologized for those comments in a video. This tweet did not land the way I thought it would,” he said. Sequoia’s then-managing partner Roelof Botha said in late October that Sequoia is a company to celebrate diversity of opinions, saying the firm needed spiky people within it, while acknowledging it can come with trade-offs. Maguire has previously called DEI policies within companies structural racism.” Maguires comments may have cost the company staff. In October, chief operating officer Sumaiya Balbale stepped down from Sequoia,reportedly because of the firms inaction over Maguires past comments about Muslims. (Balbale did not respond to a request for comment.) Botha himself stepped down in November. One VC figure, who asked not to be named because of the risk of repercussions, says the inaction against Maguire speaks to broader issues about Sequoia. If youre a partner at KKR or Blackstone, you would haveat the very minimumbeen told to stop posting stuff, they say. The fact its allowed to happen is just weird. The VC figure points out that if such words were used about any other minority they would be immediately condemned. If you substitute any of this language, and you remove the word Muslim and put Jews, or you put Italians, or you put Irish, it would definitely not pass the sniff test. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which previously called for Maguires firing over his comments about Mamdani, tells Fast Company that Sequoia should reconsider their position on whether or not its appropriate for him to represent their company in any sort of way. Mr. Maguires rush to indicate that this Muslim student who supports Palestinian human rights was likely responsible for the Brown University shooting was deeply irresponsible and incredibly dangerous,” says Edward Ahmed Mitchell, CAIRs national deputy director. He believes that every person who fanned the flames of bigotry against this young man without any basis or any justification should apologize and be held to account if they cross the line into illegal defamation.In one post earlier this month, Maguire railed against the mainstream medias slow pace of reporting on the Brown shooting. It’s impossible to shake the feeling that we’re not getting the truth fast enough from law enforcement and our media … when it doesn’t fit their narrative, he wrote. Maguires posts imply which narrative he would have preferred as this story came to an end.
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E-Commerce
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