When things go wrong, efforts to hold people “accountable” in an organization rarely produce what leaders actually want. Instead, they see compliance without commitment and weakened performance over time. The core issue is: Accountability cannot be mandated; it must be chosen.

As basic analytical work becomes most cost efficient and handled internally or by AI, consulting firms must reinvent themselves around senior judgment, integration of complex systems, and making decisions that hold up under real constraints instead of relying on the old pyramid model.

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In this conversation, Blaine Bartlett and Elizabeth Freedman, Vice President Executives and Team Performance at BTS, explore the multifaceted nature of leadership and emphasize the importance of understanding the soul of a business, the role of values, and the necessity of creating meaning in the workplace.

Organizations need a future-back approach to identifying potential, including simulations and key assessment methods, that goes beyond standard performance reviews.

The highest-performing teams steward conversation through three elements: goals, roles, and soul. Use this framework for greater clarity, stronger trust, and better decisions.

How moments-based simulations and AI role-play help leaders practice high-stakes conversations, build real behavior change, and give L&D predictive insight into performance.