[Blog] It’s Not What You Do. It’s Who You Are.
Business Is Leaving the Age of “What” and “How” and Entering the Era of “Who" and "Why”
By Jeanine Moss
For years, business was defined by two questions: What do you do? How do you do it?
In a time when expertise, execution, and efficiency were king, these questions made sense. The market rewarded those who could deliver best-in-class processes and polished outputs.
But something fundamental has shifted.
We’ve entered a new era - one shaped not by capabilities, but by character.
Not by process, but by purpose.
Not by what and how, but by who and why.
As AI transforms the landscape of work, we are no longer the most intelligent forces on the planet. Machines can match or exceed us in logic, analysis, and scale. But they can never replicate who we are and the experiences that shape us. That is our power.
In this new age, your greatest differentiator isn’t your product or your process.
It’s who you are.
Why This Shift Is Happening
AI Has Commoditized the “What” and “How”
AI can now analyze data, write content, understand customer behavior, manage supply chains - and it’s only getting better. The “how” of doing business has been radically redefined. The same goes for the “what.”
What used to be elite human skill sets are now widely available at scale, thanks to AI and automation.
That means the premium value of human beings isn’t in what we can do, but in how we think, why we act, and who we choose to be.
Historically, business evolution looked like this:
In the 1950s, education ruled.
In the 70s, emotional intelligence emerged as a valued trait.
Now, we are moving into an era where self-awareness, strategic insight, creativity, authenticity and integrity are the real differentiators.
Character Is the New Currency
Capabilities are everywhere. Character is rare.
In a low-trust environment flooded with content, consumers and colleagues alike are searching for something real. Authenticity has become a non-negotiable, and there’s no such thing as “authentic AI.”
People don’t trust brands the way they used to. But they trust the communities they belong to. They trust individual humans. The collective opinion of the crowd is trending down while authenticity and consistency is on the rise.
The new shorthand isn't brand - it’s personal resonance
For decades, brands acted as the signal we used to navigate trust. A strong brand implied credibility, consistency, and professionalism. It was a kind of shorthand that told us: This is safe. This is valuable. This has been vetted.
But in today’s environment - where every business can have polished messaging, a beautiful website, and AI-generated content - brand alone isn’t enough.
People are no longer just asking, “Is this brand good?”
They’re asking, “Does this brand feel like me?”
“Do I connect with the people behind it?”
“Do I trust their values, not just their visuals?”
This is personal resonance, a gut-level alignment between what someone believes and what you project. It’s emotional. It’s intuitive. And it’s what cuts through the noise.
In a sea of sameness, resonance becomes the shortcut to decision-making. We don’t choose based on the most optimized pitch - we choose based on who feels real, who reflects our worldview, and who earns our belief.
That’s why identity, integrity, and intention matter more than ever. Because people are no longer just buying brands.
They’re buying alignment.
And we see it in action: the rise of founder-led, values-forward, mission-driven brands is no accident. It’s a signal.
We Are Entering the Emotional Economy
Studies show that up to 95% of decision-making is emotionally driven.
In a world where AI can rationalize better than we can, emotional intelligence is your superpower.
Why are you the right person to join a team, win the business, or lead the change?
Because of your energy.
Your ability to collaborate.
Your hunger to learn.
Your creativity.
These are not “soft skills.” These are strategic assets, and they’re becoming more valuable every day.
What This Means for Business
Identity Is Your Best Strategy
You are your brand.
Your story, your values, and your point of view are not just personal details - they are business drivers. Vulnerability, clarity, and self-expression are not risks. They are requirements.
People don’t buy from companies. They buy from people they believe in. That’s always been true, and in the coming years it will become more true than ever.
Purpose Must Be Operational
Your “why” can no longer live on a plaque in the lobby.
It must show up in your decisions, your culture, and your leadership.
The alignment between what you say and what you do is now completely transparent, because generative AI gives people access to everything. If you claim a value and don’t live it, the disconnect will be obvious.
Authenticity is proven through behavior, not branding
Relationships Precede Solutions
At networking events, sales meetings, or boardrooms, the question is no longer:
“What do you do?”
It’s:
“What kind of person are you?”
“Why are you the way you are?”
Business starts with belief, not bullet points.
Engagement is built on shared values, experiences and emotional resonance - not just a well-written case study.
Who You Are Is the Premium Offering
AI will continue to outperform us in speed and precision.
But it will never feel, intuit, imagine, or empathize.
That’s our edge. And in this new world, human-centered brands will lead with nuance, connection, and emotional intelligence - because that’s where real value lies.
When AI handles the “what” and the “how,” it’s up to us to lead with the “who” and the “why.”
A Case Study on the Shift
At Outfront Solutions, we’ve experienced this transition firsthand.
We’ve always been a referral-based business - our reputation is our currency. But years ago, prospects would approach us with one main question: “What can you do?”
They wanted capabilities decks. Case studies. Proof points.
Today, we still get referrals - but the conversation starts with something different:
“What kind of people are you?”
“Why do you do this work?”
“What do you believe in?”
Clients want creativity - but they also want character. They want to know if we’ll be flexible under pressure, if we’re strategic thinkers, if we can guide them with integrity.
They want to trust who we are before they ever ask what we’ll do.
And once that trust is established, the work flows naturally. We’ve found that starting with “who” and “why” doesn’t slow down business - it accelerates it.
People want partners they believe in.
How to Win in the “Who and Why” Era
This shift isn’t a trend - it’s a transformation. And it calls for new ways of leading and growing.
Here’s where to start:
Lead with identity. Be clear about who you are and why you do what you do.
Operationalize your purpose. Let your “why” guide your strategy, not just your story.
Prioritize people. Build teams based on personality, values and potential, not just job descriptions and résumés.
Leverage AI strategically. Use it to elevate your execution and amplify your humanity.
Be radically authentic. Show up consistently, clearly, and creatively.
The Who-Focused Future
The next chapter of business won’t be written by those who optimize the fastest.
It will be written by those who lead with mind, body, and spirit - whole, present, and fully human.
In a world where output is automated and access is universal, the new advantage is not scale. It’s soul.
When everyone has the same tools, character becomes the differentiator.
Because identity can’t be cloned.
Purpose can’t be coded.
And trust can’t be manufactured.
It’s not what you do.
It’s who you are.
And that is something no machine will ever be able to replicate.
Who We Are
Nicole and I have been early adopters for as long as we can remember. Nicole spent five years reporting to Steve Jobs; I built my first tech company in my senior year of college. We joined forces at the dawn of the commercial Internet and have ridden every wave since - from mobile and apps to social media and now AI. What drives us isn’t the shiny object, it’s how people actually discover, consider, and engage across software, hardware, and media. In the Age of AI - the first time in history when humans don't have a monopoly on intelligence and capabilities - we’ve come to a paradoxical conclusion: the future won’t be decided by what AI can do, but by who we choose to be. That’s what sparked our motto for 2026: It’s Not What You Do. It’s Who You Are.
About Outfront Solutions
Outfront is not a consultancy. It’s a catalyst. We are a strategic acceleration partner for bold leaders and high-growth organizations ready to move with purpose. From brand positioning and go-to-market strategy to AI-powered content systems like Executive BrandOS, we blend insight, storytelling, and smart technology to turn vision into momentum. Whether you're launching something new, navigating change, or building influence, we equip you with clarity, tools and communications that build reputation, relevance, and results that last.