The Target No One Else Can See
Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see." – Arthur Schopenhauer
In business, especially brand leadership, talent and genius often get conflated. Talent is measurable. It’s the strategist who can read the market, craft a sharp campaign, and execute flawlessly—hitting the bullseye everyone can see. That’s valuable. But genius? Genius spots the bullseye before the target is even built.
Why This Matters Now
In the age of AI, talent is easier to replicate. Machines are already mastering execution—copywriting, design iteration, data analysis, even campaign orchestration. What once required an elite skill set can now be delegated to algorithms and automation. This shifts the competitive advantage away from what you can do toward what only you can envision.
AI can hit today’s targets better, faster, and cheaper than most humans. But AI can’t decide which target truly matters. That’s still a human job—at least for now.
The Leader’s Role
For a business or brand, leading with genius means:
Seeing the invisible market shifts before they trend.
Defining cultural relevance before it’s quantified in data.
Inventing new categories instead of competing for the old ones.
It’s the difference between building a sneaker brand in 1985 and creating an entire streetwear culture in 2003. Between launching an app for ordering coffee and imagining a platform that redefines how people socialize over caffeine.
The AI Partnership
The smart leader doesn’t fear AI—they train it to handle the targets everyone can see. That frees you to focus on the unseen:
What your customers will need before they know it.
Where your brand narrative should evolve next.
How to create products, experiences, and movements that spark emotion, not just transactions.
The real genius of tomorrow’s leaders will be their ability to stay in the vision business while AI runs the execution business.
The Takeaway
In an AI-powered world, talent keeps your brand in the game. Genius changes the game entirely. The winners will be those who can step out of the shooting range everyone else is in—and build a new target only they can see.
