Opinion by Matt Cowley

If your strategy for this year is just a “slightly better” version of last year, you’re probably slipping behind.

The global economy moved while Kiwis were at the beach over the break, and it isn’t waiting for people to catch up.

While local headlines are finally shifting toward economic growth (fuelled by falling interest rates and a surge in confidence), the global landscape has become more volatile than ever.

Geopolitical shifts are rewiring supply chains, and AI has moved from an experiment to essential.

If you’re entering 2026 hoping for a return to business as usual, I suggest you take time to rethink your approach.

To achieve your business goals this year, New Zealand business owners need to be S-H-A-R-P:

S – Scan: Stop looking only at your local competitors.

Scan the horizon and set intent for where you want to be in December 2026.

Between shifting geopolitical instabilities and rapid tech breakthroughs, the biggest threat (or opportunity) to your business likely isn’t even in your industry yet.

H – Hedge: Uncertainty is the only certainty.

Whether it’s diversifying your supply chain or hedging against currency volatility, 2026 is about resilience.

Build a business that doesn’t just survive chaos but gains from it.

A – Automate: If your team is still doing repetitive tasks, you are wasting the most expensive resource in New Zealand: human talent.

Automate the tedious steps, so your people can focus on oversight and risk management.

R – Recruit for growth: The talent market has shifted.

We are no longer just hiring for roles.

We are hiring for agility.

Seek out the disruptors, the simplifiers, and the problem-solvers who can navigate a world that changes every few months.

P – Pivot: Conviction is a virtue, but stubbornness is a liability.

Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / Mead Norton

In 2026, the distance between “strategy” and “execution” must be shorter than ever.

If the data tells you the market has moved, move with it.

Fast.

Regarding the NZ general election later this year, the economy will be the biggest issue.

Business is not a passenger; it should be the driver, setting expectations for the incoming Government and demanding the policy environment it needs to thrive.

The theme behind S-H-A-R-P is about empowerment; making 2026 the year we stop reacting to the world and start shaping it.

And, while grounded realism is important, it shouldn’t drown aspiration.

Let’s talk ourselves into excellence instead of easing gently into 2026 with a shrug.

Matt Cowley is chief executive of the Tauranga Business Chamber.

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