The World as a Chessboard
We are living through a period that feels like a global action movie—a high-stakes chess game where the board is the world, and the players are flexing their muscles, testing boundaries, and making moves with consequences that ripple far beyond the immediate moment.
From geopolitical tensions to existential climate crises, the rapid expansion of AI, and the erosion of trust between nations and people, the stakes couldn’t be higher. These aren’t just the challenges of our time. They are defining the century ahead. And yet, much of what we see unfolding feels less like strategy and more like a chaotic, impulsive game of “all in.” For the keen eye, the current leadership challenges are more obvious than ever.
This isn’t a time to panic. It’s a time for wisdom, and history reminds us why.
The Dangers of Impulse: A Lesson from the Trojan Horse
Let’s start with an ancient example. The story of the Trojan Horse is a cautionary tale about distraction, ego, and misplaced trust. The Greeks, unable to penetrate Troy after a decade of siege, constructed a seemingly abandoned wooden horse, leaving it at the city gates. It was huge by the way. The Trojans, divided between skeptics and celebrants, decided to pull the horse into their city as a symbol of victory.
But by focusing only on what was visible—victory—they missed the hidden danger. Hidden within that massive wooden horse was their enemy. That single impulsive act sealed their fate.
The parallels to today are striking. Many leaders and nations are so fixated on immediate power plays, territorial gains, resource control, and dominance in AI that they’re pulling the proverbial wooden horse into their gates without asking, What might we be missing?
The Masculine Game: Attack, Distract, Divide
Across the globe, the current power dynamics feel unmistakably masculine. Leaders are testing limits through sheer force. It can be military, economic, or technological. The pattern is clear:
- Attack from all fronts.
- Distract the opposition.
- Divide those who might unify against them.
Consider the current tensions in Israel and Palestine, the refugee crises across multiple borders, the articles the elected can sign to reshape everything, or even the rise of economic brinkmanship in global superpowers. These are calculated moves in a game where the stakes are existential.
History proves that domination without foresight ends in collapse. The Roman Empire, for example, stretched itself thin with endless conquests and ignored the cracks forming at its core—cracks caused by inequality, corruption, and overreach. The result? A fall that changed the course of history.
We are watching similar patterns unfold today. The question is, who will break the cycle?
The Lessons of History: Deportation, Discrimination, and the Risk of Repeating Mistakes
Across the globe, tensions around immigration are rising, with some leaders taking increasingly extreme measures to address the challenges of radical individuals entering their borders. Deportation orders and divisive rhetoric are gaining traction, targeting entire groups based on ethnicity, nationality, or religion. While maintaining security is essential, this sweeping approach risks resembling the dark echoes of Nazi Germany—a time when the lines between protection and persecution became disastrously blurred.
In Nazi Germany, policies didn’t begin with concentration camps or genocide. They began with the idea of “othering,” creating a clear distinction between who belongs and who doesn’t. The Jewish people, among others, were scapegoated as the root of societal problems. Over time, those sentiments evolved into mass deportations and, ultimately, atrocities that shocked the world.
Today, while the context is different, the dangers of blanket policies are eerily familiar. Deporting individuals indiscriminately, based on where they’re from or their broader group affiliations, risks punishing the innocent alongside the guilty. It ignores the nuance of individual stories—those fleeing violence, persecution, or economic collapse—many of whom could become positive contributors to their new communities.
The danger of applying sweeping policies is twofold:
- Dehumanization: Treating all immigrants as potential threats risks turning entire groups into enemies, fueling resentment and division.
- Loss of Talent and Potential: Among those being deported are doctors, engineers, educators, and entrepreneurs—people who could enrich their new societies and drive progress.
While we must remain vigilant against genuine threats, we cannot allow fear to blind us to compassion or reason. The balance lies in discernment—treating immigration not as a blanket issue but as a complex reality requiring thoughtful solutions.
In a time when many leaders seem to embrace division as strategy, it’s worth remembering the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who resisted the Nazi regime:
“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice; we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.”
The question is, are we willing to confront injustice in a way that upholds security and humanity—or will we let fear and force rule the day?
The Rise of AI: A Modern Pandora’s Box
Layered on top of these geopolitical tensions is the explosive growth of AI and technology. It’s both a tool for progress and a weapon in this global chess game.
- AI as Opportunity: It’s diagnosing diseases faster, solving logistical challenges, and unlocking new realms of human potential.
- AI as Threat: In the wrong hands, it’s perpetuating biases, enabling mass surveillance, and deepening inequalities.
The myth of Pandora’s Box is particularly relevant here. When Pandora opened the box, she unleashed chaos into the world. But one thing remained at the bottom. Hope. Similarly, AI is a box we’ve opened, unleashing incredible potential alongside significant dangers. The question is, will we wield it wisely, or will we let it divide us further? Mitigating the global leadership challenges and how the power dynamic plays out for the AI infrastructure will be key for the months to come.
Note! If you’ve read the Venture Capital in 2025 article you saw that a large amount of investments goes into AI and Automation, a trend that only accelerates after 2024.
The Quantum Dimension: The Miracle or the Ticking Time Bomb?
There’s another piece on the global chessboard that isn’t getting the attention it deserves—Quantum Computing. While the world debates geopolitics, climate, and AI, quantum is quietly becoming a game-changer, with the potential to outplay every other move on the board.
Just two weeks ago, Google announced its 105-qubit “Willow” quantum processor, a breakthrough that feels almost otherworldly. To put it in perspective, this processor can solve calculations in minutes that would take the universe billions of years to compute.
The sheer scale of this power raises both profound opportunities and significant dangers.
Like Pandora’s Box or AI’s rise, quantum computing is a dual-edged sword.
Its potential is almost limitless:
🌱 Opportunities:
- Accelerating breakthroughs in climate modeling to solve the environmental crises.
- Creating unprecedented precision in medicine, turning diseases into solvable puzzles.
- Revolutionizing global logistics, saving resources and billions of dollars annually.
But then comes the other side:
⚠️ Threats:
- Quantum computers can crack encryption codes, making today’s digital security obsolete.
- They could disrupt financial markets, with devastating impacts.
- Worse, in the hands of a few, this technology could deepen inequality and become a weapon in geopolitical power plays.
Quantum isn’t just fast. It’s transformational. It’s a technology that will rewrite the rules of power and possibility, far beyond what AI alone can achieve.
Why Quantum Computing Matters in 2025 and Beyond
In 2025, quantum computing is the silent revolution. While most conversations focus on AI or climate, quantum advances are shaping decisions in boardrooms and government offices—quietly but decisively.
And yet, much like AI or the Trojan Horse, the real question isn’t what quantum can do—it’s who controls it.
This isn’t just a technical issue. It’s an ethical one. Will quantum serve the many or the few? Will it accelerate sustainability, or will it be hoarded for profit and control?
The Broader Picture about Quantum Computing: Lessons from the Trojan Horse
Quantum computing mirrors the Trojan Horse in many ways. It’s a gift that offers immense potential—but if we let short-term wins blind us to long-term consequences, it could unravel global stability.
Are we ready for quantum-powered surveillance? For a world where one rogue actor could dismantle encryption systems and financial networks overnight? Are we asking the hard questions, or are we pulling the quantum “Trojan Horse” into our cities without understanding the dangers hidden inside?
The Climate Inferno: Wildfires and the Slow-Burning Crisis
If the global chessboard represents power plays and rapid technological advancements, wildfires are the stark reminder that nature is always a player in the game—whether we acknowledge it or not.
What Wildfires Teach Us About Leadership and Responsibility
Wildfires aren’t just natural disasters; they’re metaphors for how leaders respond—or fail to respond—to systemic issues:
- Leaders who ignore small sparks risk being consumed by the inferno.
- Short-term actions, like firefighting after the fact, do little to address the conditions that allow the fires to start in the first place.
A classic example is the Amazon rainforest, often called “the lungs of the planet.” In recent years, deforestation for industrial agriculture has turned parts of it into a carbon emitter rather than a carbon sink. Fires there aren’t accidents—they’re often intentional burns to clear land for profit. What’s tragic is that these actions destabilize the very ecosystems humanity depends on for survival.
Compare this to Australia, where the 2019–2020 bushfires burned more than 46 million acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and killed an estimated 3 billion animals. For months, these fires dominated headlines. Yet, when the flames subsided, so did much of the global urgency to tackle the climate factors that had fueled them.
Lessons From the Flames: A Call for Visionary Leadership
Wildfires are a warning: nature will not wait for us to act. Just as we’ve seen with AI and quantum, leadership is the deciding factor. The choices we make today will either mitigate future damage or allow it to spread uncontrollably.
Visionary leaders must:
- Address the root causes, not just the symptoms. That means tackling emissions, rethinking deforestation, and holding industries accountable.
- Commit to long-term collaboration. Wildfires and climate crises don’t stop at borders—global challenges demand unified global solutions.
- Act with urgency but also foresight. Like in chess, reacting without a broader strategy only ensures defeat.
As global citizens, we can advocate for climate policies that hold industries accountable and support leaders who prioritize systemic solutions over short-term gains.
The Distraction Dilemma: Smoke and Mirrors
One of the greatest dangers we face today isn’t just the visible challenges before us but the distractions deliberately designed to pull our attention away from what truly matters.
The Roman strategy of “bread and circuses”, where entertainment and superficial solutions were used to pacify and distract citizens, echoes loudly in today’s 24/7 news cycle. We’re bombarded by sensational headlines, divisive rhetoric, and shallow debates, keeping the majority reactive instead of reflective.
Here’s the real danger: when we get caught in tunnel vision, only focusing on what’s directly in front of us, we lose sight of the bigger picture. We become so consumed with confronting the challenges that are obvious and immediate, that we forget to look to the left, right, and even behind us.
This is precisely how we miss the unexpected dangers (or the hidden opportunities) that lie in the periphery. Think about it:
- While we debate one issue, another quietly escalates in the background.
- While one hand distracts us, the other reshapes systems and rules in ways that go unnoticed.
The Roman strategy of “bread and circuses” resonates strongly in this era of social media dominance and 24/7 headlines. Sensationalism, curated personas, and divisive narratives are like smoke and mirrors—keeping us reactive instead of reflective. But distractions aren’t limited to news cycles. They often come packaged in the form of construct personas—figures who amass almost worship-like fanbases on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Many people blindly follow these personas, buying into their carefully crafted messages or flashy promises without stopping to investigate the truth. As Lao Tzu wisely said:
“A leader is best when people barely know they exist. When their work is done, their aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
But too often today, we see the opposite: leaders who crave adoration and build followings based on spectacle rather than substance. They sell ideals, but their actions—or their dark histories—betray those very principles.
This is where Lao Tzu’s wisdom reminds us to:
- Slow down and reflect. Don’t act on impulse or emotion.
- Look beyond appearances. Truth requires digging beneath the surface.
- Empower yourself. Discernment is the greatest tool for avoiding manipulation.
As Sun Tzu famously wrote in The Art of War:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”
In today’s world, the “enemy” might not always be external forces—it’s the internal tendency to follow blindly, without questioning.
The distractions are intentional. The chaos is a smokescreen. And wisdom requires us to step back, shift our gaze, and ask the deeper questions:
- What are we being distracted from?
- What are we not being told?
- Who benefits from keeping our attention focused on this “front-facing” issue?
- Who benefits from our blind loyalty?
- Where should we be looking instead?
- Are we being sold ideals that contradict the reality behind a certain action or the persona at front?
Sun Tzu’s teachings also emphasize the value of looking in unexpected places:
“All warfare is based on deception. Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.”
Distractions often work the same way. They pull our attention to one thing while something far more critical happens where we’re not looking.
Broader vision isn’t optional. It’s essential. It’s the only way to confront the complexity of the challenges we face today while ensuring we don’t miss the forces quietly reshaping our world.
Whether it’s the rise of quantum computing, AI’s rapid development, geopolitical brinkmanship, or environmental collapse, the most critical threats (and opportunities) don’t always come from where we’re looking. True wisdom is knowing when to shift your focus and scan the horizon.
Let’s move beyond the smoke and mirrors. Let’s break free from tunnel vision. Because in a world this interconnected, survival and success depend on our ability to see the whole board, not just the obvious moves.
The Need for Unity: The Geese Fable
Nature offers another timeless lesson. Consider the fable of the geese flying in formation. By working together, they reduce air resistance and conserve energy. If one goose falls out of formation, the others adjust to protect and support it until it recovers.
The same principle applies to humanity right now. Unity, not division, is our greatest strength in facing global challenges. But unity requires courage, empathy, and the ability to set aside differences for the greater good.
Ancient Wisdom in the Age of Noise
The wisdom of ancient philosophers like Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Sun Tzu reminds us to be skeptical of spectacle. Truth is rarely found in the loudest voices or the flashiest promises. It’s discovered through patience, observation, and critical thinking. The cards are played behind closed doors.
Here’s what we must do:
1️⃣ Pause before reacting: When you encounter a captivating narrative or persona, take time to reflect. Does this align with reality, or is it designed to provoke emotion and loyalty?
2️⃣ Do your own research: Look beyond the surface. In the digital age, truth is often buried beneath layers of propaganda.
3️⃣ Balance logic and emotion: Don’t let charisma or fear manipulate your judgment. True wisdom is grounded in both discernment and empathy.
Another Lao Tzu quote:
”Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
The true danger isn’t just being deceived by others but losing sight of our own ability to question, learn, and grow.
As individuals, we, too, have a role. Whether it’s educating ourselves, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, or simply being more discerning about the information we consume, every small step matters.
So, where does this leave us?
This is not the time for tunnel vision. Leaders, organizations, and individuals must:
- Broaden their perspective: The biggest dangers—and opportunities—often come from unexpected places.
- Question everything: Don’t blindly trust headlines, leaders, or trends. Dig deeper.
- Act with courage and humility: Acknowledge mistakes, adapt quickly, and lead with empathy.
- Focus on collaboration: The challenges we face—climate change, AI ethics, global inequalities—are too big for any one nation, company, or person to solve alone.
The Final Chess Move
We are at a turning point in history. The decisions we make now—as leaders, citizens, and communities—will determine the trajectory of the next century.
Will we act like the Trojans, blinded by immediate victories and distractions? Or will we take the long view, embracing wisdom, collaboration, and unity to build a thriving, sustainable future?
This isn’t just a call for leaders. It’s a call for each of us. Let’s be the citizens, collaborators, and critical thinkers this moment demands.
The chessboard is set. The pieces are moving. The question is:
👉 Will we make the right moves, or will we let this moment pass us by?
By Cristina Imre – Founder, Tech Leadership Lab