The chief executive of the world’s largest retailer started his career stacking mulch and watering flowers, and after more than three decades climbing the ranks, he says the single most important quality for any leader is the willingness to embrace change.

Walmart CEO John Furner shared that lesson in a recent interview with Fast Company, highlighted in coverage published on Thursday, June 4.

Furner’s message was simple: in a world being transformed by technology, artificial intelligence, automation, and changing consumer habits, leaders who embrace change will outperform those who resist it.

Reflecting on a career that has spanned the rise of e-commerce, smartphones, and now AI, Furner said getting comfortable with change is what separates effective leaders from the rest.

His story is one of the most remarkable internal success stories in corporate America.

Furner joined Walmart in 1993 as a part-time hourly associate working in the garden center of a store in Bentonville, Arkansas. After earning a marketing degree from the University of Arkansas, he steadily climbed through the company, serving as a store manager, district manager, buyer, and executive before eventually leading Walmart’s U.S. operations.

He later became CEO of Sam’s Club and ultimately rose to become Walmart’s chief executive on February 1, 2026, succeeding longtime CEO Doug McMillon, who also began his Walmart career as an hourly associate.

Today, Furner oversees a company employing more than 2 million people and operating nearly 11,000 stores across 19 countries.

The challenge before him is enormous.

Walmart is in the middle of what Furner describes as a “people-led, tech-powered” transformation, investing heavily in artificial intelligence, automation, and digital commerce as it battles Amazon and other online competitors.

The company has rolled out AI-powered tools, expanded automation throughout its supply chain, and introduced technologies designed to improve both customer service and operational efficiency.

The investments are producing results.

Walmart’s online business grew 27% in its most recent quarter, while the company’s stock has traded near record highs.

But Furner argues that technology alone is not enough.

The larger lesson, he says, is that leaders must be willing to evolve alongside the businesses they manage. Companies that refuse to adapt often find themselves overtaken by competitors willing to embrace new realities.

The message extends far beyond retail.

Businesses across nearly every industry are confronting similar challenges as artificial intelligence reshapes workflows, customer expectations, hiring practices, and competitive advantages.

For many organizations, the biggest risk may not be adopting the wrong technology—it may be failing to adapt at all.

Furner’s own career reflects that philosophy.

A man who began his Walmart career watering plants in a garden center now leads one of the most valuable companies in the world. Along the way, the retail industry transformed repeatedly, and each stage required new skills, new strategies, and new ways of thinking.

His conclusion after more than three decades at Walmart is straightforward: in an economy defined by constant disruption, the leaders who succeed are the ones willing to change with it.

JBizNews Desk — Retail & Leadership

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