Change is constant. Trust is falling. AI is everywhere.
When the future’s messy, what’s a leader to do?
The Skills Horizon returns to help you make sense of the mess.
We open with Shifts, which capture the deep fractures and complexities around us. With the amount and intensity of change happening, we’ve had to give a Shift—there are now six to process. The Information Shift joins The Values Shift, The Technology Shift, The Accountability Shift, The Trust Shift, and The Energy Shift. The six Shifts bring challenges, but they also hold new opportunities if you know how to interpret them properly.
New this year are the 17 Provocations. A result of the Shifts, these are the big
things leaders need to solve for in our changing world. Provocations appear throughout the report, linked to core themes and ideas. Believe the hype: this is our most provocative edition yet.
Next up is The 2027 Skills Horizon, which features 37 skills, ranging from AI fluency to New business infrastructure to Play (a serious skill with fun at its core). You’ll see new skills, some existing ones that have become more urgent, and a couple that may strike you as unexpected.
That’s followed by Blobs: the blob-shaped areas of skills convergence. This year, in response to AI touching everything in your organisation, the Blob family welcomes a new, fifth member—Leading the AI transition. It sits alongside Speaking the language of tech, Solving problems of scale, Working across difference, and Thinking through complexity.
The Provocative Leader is our archetype for productive yet playful leadership. We offer five tips for such leadership, to help you move through the mess.
Throughout the report you’ll find a wealth of practical insight and wisdom, drawn from conversations with hundreds of leaders around the globe, ranging from global CEOs to a sitting Prime Minister (one of two PMs who feature in this edition!).
The 2027 Skills Horizon is a dynamic guide that’ll help you and your team stay ready for anything.
Happy upskilling!
Cite this report
Peter, S., Riemer, K., Norman, P. (2026). The 2027 Skills Horizon. Sydney Executive Plus, The University of Sydney, https://doi.org/10.25910/d443-2a97
Previous editions
Skills don't reset every year. Catch up on where the horizon's been in previous editions of the report.
What is the Skills Horizon?
The Skills Horizon is a visual representation of the things you need to know now, what you should be learning next, and what you should consider exploring. It should always be read in the context of our changing world, along with the work you do and your career trajectory. It’ll help you to:
Map and prioritise skills
Strategically plan and track what skills you need to acquire or hone now, what you need to learn next, and what you might explore and experiment with.
Build a shared understanding
Create a shared vocabulary with your team. Evaluate and understand your, and your team’s, skills.
Align learning with strategy
Feed insights into broader strategy processes.
Foster a learning culture
Prioritise professional learning and development actions by considering timing, resource implications, integration into individual development plans and performance reviews. This is crucial in preparing the next generation of leaders in your organisation. It also promotes a leadership—and team—culture that fosters continuous learning.
Upskill your organisation
Talk to us about custom course development