IN UNCERTAINTY, STRIP IT BACK

We’re living through a new kind of uncertainty.

Not the occasional shock or unexpected shift—but a persistent, ambient instability. Markets are jittery. Geopolitical tensions simmer. Generative AI, climate risk, culture wars—none of these pressures are new, but they’re now combining in ways that feel relentless.

For business leaders, the challenge isn’t just to respond. It’s to lead through the fog.

This is a conversation I’ve been having recently with quite a lot of CEOs and C-suite leaders. Here are some of the common insights.

Many leaders try to keep pace with every new development. That’s understandable. But in a world defined by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), movement isn’t the same as progress. Agility matters—but so does clarity.

Return to First Principles

When uncertainty is high, the fundamentals matter more, not less. The more chaotic the context, the more important it becomes to strip your business back to what’s essential. What do you actually do? Why does it matter? What do you stand for?

Leaders often overlook this grounding work. But it’s what separates those who endure from those who drift. Get clear—again—on your core value proposition. Ask whether your decisions are driven by fashion, or by purpose. Revisit your organisation’s foundational beliefs. Your team needs to see that what you stand for is not up for negotiation, even if how you deliver it needs to adapt.

As I wrote previously in Thriving in a VUCA World, the key is not to create a plan for every possible future. That’s impossible. Instead, strengthen the internal muscles that allow your business to adapt without losing itself: clarity, trust, alignment, and a commitment to shared principles.

Lead with Simplicity and Structure

When things are moving fast, people look for structure. There is real discipline in staying close to what you know and working with what you have. You don’t need to have all the answers. But you do need to make space for calm thinking. Sometimes, punting a decision is wiser than rushing to resolve complexity prematurely.

That doesn’t mean indecision—it means intentionality. Strip away the noise. Prioritise the decisions that align with your long-term mission. Declutter the rest.

In complexity, leaders often confuse speed with control. But clarity beats pace. Ask yourself: what are the universal truths that guide our business, regardless of circumstance? The more uncertain the environment, the more you need to hold fast to those.

Leading Teams Through the Pressure

This clarity isn’t just for you—it’s for your team. And especially for your middle managers, who, as Korn Ferry highlights in their recent Briefings piece “The Breaking Point”, are shouldering much of the current strain. They’re expected to manage change, deliver results, and look after teams—while often feeling unsupported themselves.

The risk is not just burnout. It’s erosion of culture. If managers don’t feel safe, supported, or empowered, that insecurity travels down through the organisation. Teams become reactive. Priorities blur. Morale suffers.

The antidote is not endless new initiatives. It’s strong, visible, values-led leadership. Be consistent. Communicate clearly. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t. Create moments of pause and reflection in the pace. Ask better questions. And recognise that your presence—calm, clear, and principled—has a disproportionate impact in times of ambiguity.

As I’ve seen in my work with CEOs and senior teams, the leaders who build real resilience are those who don’t flinch from hard realities. They make space for context and complexity, and still move forward with integrity.

Custodianship and Adaptability

Your role, ultimately, is to be a good custodian of the organisation. That means ensuring it’s in better shape at the end of your tenure than at the beginning. That requires stewardship of your team’s energy as much as your strategy.

It also means accepting that how things happen is going to keep changing. But your ‘why’ shouldn’t. Whether you’re grappling with AI governance, supply chain shocks, or sustainability imperatives, your values are the compass. If diversity, inclusion, or climate responsibility matter to your business, make them visible in the choices you make now—not just the statements you publish.

A Final Thought

You don’t need to chase every trend. You don’t need to predict the next crisis. You do need to be clear on who you are, what you believe, and how you lead.

In times like these, simplicity is not naïveté. It’s a strength. Clarity is not inflexibility. It’s ballast. And leadership is not about having all the answers—it’s about knowing which questions still matter.

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