In a rapidly changing business environment, leaders are reevaluating their operating methods. The command-and-control models of the 20th century, where decisions originated from the top and employees followed orders with minimal input, are becoming outdated in today's world. Organizations are dealing with constant change, where new technologies appear almost overnight, customer expectations evolve quickly, and global competition means slow responses are no longer acceptable. In response, many companies are exploring beyond traditional leadership methods and trying out new approaches that focus on openness, continuous learning, and flexibility.

The electric power industry is experiencing a significant shift that requires more integrated grid planning practices. Utilities previously created generation, transmission, distribution, and customer program plans separately, each optimized on its own. Today, factors like rapid decarbonization, the growth of distributed energy resources (DERs), and the electrification of transportation and heating are revealing the flaws of this isolated approach. Planners and regulators are increasingly advocating for integrated system planning—a coordinated method combining resource planning, transmission–distribution coordination, and customer-side initiatives—to ensure the grid of the future is both reliable and affordable.