The Last Quarter – finding the courage to act in a world of chaos
We've all been on the field for nine months. We're exhausted, the pressure hasn't eased and there's no final whistle in sight. But the last quarter is when character counts.
At the beginning of 2026, I published Divided on Purpose, examining the political, economic, technological and social fractures shaping our world. By May, those fractures had widened sufficiently to warrant The Chaos Compendium, which explored the interconnected crises gathering momentum and the practical preparations we could make.
Now, with just ten weeks left in the year, I've published the final instalment, The Last Quarter – The Chaos Companion 2026.
And this time, the emphasis is firmly on action.
It's tempting to look at the events of 2026 and conclude that there's precious little any of us can do. Global conflict continues, political decisions are disrupting international relationships, essential infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable and the consequences of economic instability are finding their way into households and communities thousands of kilometres from the source.
Meanwhile, the climate is providing its own relentless commentary. Devastating floods, drought, extraordinary temperatures and an intensifying El Niño have added further pressure to communities already struggling to recover from earlier disasters.
And then there is the information environment, where every scroll brings another prediction of imminent catastrophe. War, famine, economic collapse, technological disaster. The apocalypse apparently has a very busy schedule.
But behind the alarming headlines are genuine developments that demand attention.
What the preparations are telling us
Across Europe, governments are encouraging citizens to prepare for serious disruptions to everyday life. Sweden has distributed civil preparedness booklets, Norway recommends that households can manage independently for a week, and Finland, Poland and the Netherlands have strengthened public guidance and the UK is preparing a major national defence exercise for 2027.
These developments do not mean governments have advance knowledge of a particular catastrophe. They do tell us that significant vulnerabilities are being recognised and preparation is becoming a public responsibility.
At the same time, threats to submarine cables, data centres and digital infrastructure demonstrate just how physically vulnerable our supposedly intangible digital world really is.
Artificial intelligence is introducing further complications, not least the concentration of technological power and the increasingly blurred lines of responsibility when autonomous systems make decisions or behave unexpectedly.
And as November's elections approach in the United States and Aotearoa New Zealand, questions about democratic participation, electoral access and the ability of ordinary people to influence decisions deserve particular attention.
These aren't isolated developments. They are interconnected pressures, each capable of intensifying the consequences of another.
Beyond growing tomatoes
In May's Chaos Compendium, I encouraged people to think about food security, practical preparedness, relationships and even growing tomatoes upside down on the balcony. I stand by the tomatoes. They're useful, satisfying and can be shared with the neighbours. But preparedness cannot stop at learning how to cope with the consequences of decisions made elsewhere. We also need to consider how those decisions are made, who benefits, who bears the consequences and what opportunities exist to challenge them.
That is the central purpose of The Last Quarter.
The report combines situational intelligence with practical guidance for individuals, families, communities, organisations and professional leaders. Each major issue is examined through the situation itself, what's going on, what can be done and how people can act.
There are actions we can take to prepare for disruption, others that strengthen our communities and relationships, and still others that allow us to question decisions, demand accountability and protect our ability to participate.
For public relations and leadership communication professionals, the responsibilities are particularly significant. Understanding risks, advising leadership, recognising emerging threats and ensuring organisations behave responsibly are not optional extras when the world becomes difficult. Neither is the courage to challenge organisational decisions that place others at risk.
The last quarter is when character counts
The sporting metaphor behind the report's title is deliberate. It's often in the final quarter of a hard-fought contest that exhaustion is setting in and the challenges stubbornly persist. Yet people find something extra. Determination, courage, a willingness to stand alongside others and the strength to confront what comes next.
Of course, life isn't a sporting contest and the turmoil confronting us won't end conveniently when the clock reaches midnight on 31 December. But what we do between now and then is really important.
The future isn't fixed. We cannot control everything happening around us, nor should individuals be expected to compensate for the failures of powerful institutions. But we can prepare, participate, strengthen relationships, challenge harmful decisions and help others exercise their rights.
So, The Last Quarter is not another prediction of catastrophe. Instead I offer an invitation to reclaim agency.
