What if the biggest accelerator of transformation in the age of AI and co-existing with machines isn’t technology — but human excellence?
This blog introduces the 2026 edition of my booklet Business Agility by Serious Fun Infusion.
Igniting Human Excellence in the Age of AI
Why the future of Business Agility is far more human than we think
We are living in the fastest technological acceleration in human history. AI learns exponentially, automation redesigns entire business models, and digital systems reshape how we work, lead and collaborate. The pace of innovation is breathtaking. However, the real question is: Can humans keep up?
This is the silent tension inside many organisations today. Technology is scaling at machine speed, while people are asked to adapt emotionally, cognitively and behaviourally at the same pace. And yet, transformation still succeeds or fails on one simple truth:
Organisations change only when people change.
Not systems | Not processes | Not frameworks.
People.
This is the starting point of my new 2026 edition Business Agility by Serious Fun Infusion. It is a human lens on transformation in the Age of AI, and an invitation to rethink how we approach change. The booklet dives into the human realities beneath transformation, the mindsets, emotions, drivers and behaviours that technology cannot replicate. Each is explored in depth in the full 2026 booklet.
1. Technology accelerates, humans determine the real pace of transformation
AI, automation and digital systems now augment or replace large parts of work faster than organisations can redesign themselves. Many roles shift, disappear or become hybrid. And yet: the biggest bottleneck is not technology itself, but human adaptation. If people do not feel safe, valued, supported or connected, no AI solution, SAFe train or transformation roadmap will land. The future of work is not just digital. It is deeply human.
2. The most essential skills of the future are uniquely human
As machines outperform us in routine, linear and analytical tasks, our human capabilities become the new strategic differentiator:
- empathy and emotional intelligence
- creativity, imagination and innovation
- narrative thinking & storytelling
- intuition & judgement
- humour, connection and play
- curiosity & learning agility
These are the skills AI cannot replicate and the skills organisations desperately need to remain adaptive.
3. The quiet truth: the human layer beneath every transformation
Under every project plan, strategy and backlog lies a quiet, often unspoken layer of human basic needs:
- psychological safety
- recognition
- autonomy
- belonging
- meaning
- hope
When these needs are supported, transformation accelerates. When they are ignored, resistance grows silently. This Quiet Truth explains why so many transformations stall despite solid structures — because the human foundation is fragile, overstretched or invisible.
4. Fun is not entertainment — it is a strategic driver of change
One of the most underestimated forces in transformation is fun. Not “fun” as in entertainment — but fun as a psychological state of energy, curiosity, engagement and hope. Fun activates the neurochemistry that makes change feel rewarding rather than threatening.
It lowers resistance.
It accelerates learning.
It sparks creativity and ownership.
In an era of continuous change, fun becomes a strategic asset. It is the catalyst that turns “I have to change”” into “I want to change”.
5. The REVELANCE model: how change truly works
Real change happens when three human drivers align:
- Rational drive: “Do I want to achieve this target?” Clarity, direction, priorities, coherence.
- Emotional drive: “Why is this worth it for me?” Connection, fun, appreciation, meaning.
- Driveway: “Can I realistically achieve this?” A clear path, realistic sub-targets, support, psychological safety.
When all three answer “yes”, people naturally start moving — with ownership, not compliance.
6. Leadership must evolve from control to connection
In hybrid, complex and AI-driven environments, leadership is no longer about control it is about enabling growth.
Future-ready leaders:
- create psychological safety
- spark hope
- provide clarity and direction
- invite curiosity and dissent
- build diverse, co-creative teams
- strengthen human advantage
Leadership becomes less about authority, and more about human excellence.
7. Business agility is human agility
Frameworks such as SAFe, Agile, Lean and CI provide structure but structure alone never creates agility. Agility becomes real only when the human foundation is strong. When people feel safe enough to experiment, hopeful enough to try, and energised enough to contribute. When teams have fun, ownership and clarity.
AI accelerates work. Human excellence accelerates people. And the organisations that can balance both will shape the future.
A personal invitation
This booklet is an invitation to leaders, teams and professionals to look beyond processes and technology, thus to uncover the human drivers that truly make transformation work. If this resonates with you, if you are curious about the human side of business agility, or if you feel your organisation is standing on the edge of its next transformation:
👉 Download the full 2026 edition of the booklet “Business Agility by Serious Fun Infusion” to explore the full insights and practical applications.
Kirsten Baas | Strategic Transformation Lead
Change is seriously fun — if we dare to see what truly drives us.
Kirsten Baas | Strategic Transformation Lead
Let me know what you think. and get in touch with me: baas@revelance.nl | revelance.nl | +31-6 16 03 79 17 | schedule an appointment | follow me on LinkedIn
