Dan Schulman didn’t return to corporate life to repeat an old routine. After two years of ranch work in Montana, he accepted the top job at Verizon with a clear aim to rebuild the organization’s habits, expectations, and pace. He believed the company had valuable assets but needed a cleaner way of working that cut unnecessary layers and supported quicker decisions.
The goal was to stay relevant in a world shifting faster than many companies can handle.
“Culturally, the organization needs to become less bureaucratic. It needs to be more nimble.”
This view goes beyond Verizon. Schulman believes many established companies face the same challenge and will need to rethink their approach if they hope to keep up with the environment forming around them.
A New Technological Environment
Schulman focuses on three areas of technology that are advancing at the same time and changing the conditions in which companies operate.
- Artificial Intelligence: AI models continue to improve at a steady rate. Schulman expects systems to surpass human capability in most cognitive tasks within four years. Hallucinations are declining, and new releases show clear gains every few months.
- Quantum Computing: He anticipates quantum data centers with a million fault-tolerant qubits by 2030. That change would make many existing systems outdated, and companies that don’t prepare may be unable to compete with those that do.
- Humanoid Robotics: Robots able to perform physical work are moving toward commercial readiness. Schulman believes they’ll enter the workforce within seven years and will exceed human stamina and strength.
These advances reinforce each other, and together they set new expectations for how companies build and support their products.
Culture Slows Down What Technology Makes Possible
While these technologies move forward, most organizations struggle to adjust.
Schulman sees hesitation from employees who fear job loss and internal systems that reward caution instead of action. These forces slow progress even when the tools for improvement are available.
Long-standing habits at large companies often limit ambition. Schulman notes that many set targets around modest improvement even when the moment calls for a broader rethinking of what the company could deliver. He encourages leaders to question long-held assumptions and widen the scope of their goals.
Decision-Making Needs More Candor
Schulman also sees a need for stronger debate inside the boardroom.
Many executive teams avoid disagreement to preserve comfort, but he believes open challenge leads to better decisions. For that to work, leaders must listen without reacting and boards must stay aware of internal discussions, not just final conclusions.
To support this, Schulman stays in frequent contact with Verizon’s board and shares early observations without waiting for polished presentations. This helps keep alignment and reduces the risk of hidden problems.
Leadership Without Distraction
Schulman’s outlook on leadership comes from decades of martial arts practice. He values steady attention and the ability to listen without losing direction. He believes humility creates better outcomes than posturing, and that confidence doesn’t require volume. These traits help leaders absorb information and act decisively when the moment calls for it.
“You either are humble or you will be forced to be humble.”
Taken together, these ideas shape how Schulman approaches Verizon’s reset and how he believes modern leaders can guide organizations through an environment that’s changing with increasing intensity.
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