March 2025 | Newsletter

Leaning Into the Turbulence

You only need to listen to the news for a few moments in the morning to feel your stress levels rising. There is no end to the noise around us.

And then we need to maintain the clarity and focus to make decisions that move our businesses forward in a positive direction.

Two things to consider … we do not make our best decisions when we are feeling a high level of stress, and we feel pressure to do something when there is so much turbulence around us. These two factors create the paradox of the ages – how to stay calm when everything around us is not.

Business owners and executive leaders experience this paradox increasingly this year. The politics of the world have amped up the daily barrage of problems we need to attend to – from tariffs to elections to economic uncertainty. It makes people feel cautious, even paranoid, about what to do, and most leadership teams are responding by curtailing spending and projects to see what transpires.

What's the Bottom Line?

But here is the bottom line – companies that leaned into messy times in the past ended up making five times the revenues and profits as those that sheltered down. They invested in capital projects and innovation that kept them moving forward and provided a jump start on competitors when the situation at hand settled down.

So, why do most of us freeze a bit in the face of too much change. Well, it largely is human nature. In our research with leaders, we found that 64% of people regretted the decisions they made during stressful times. It is no surprise that we tend to shut down a bit when the world starts turning too quickly. And when we do something, we tend to focus on small actions that we can control.

With everything spinning, we want to find a place where we can feel a but safer. That is where the short-term focus dials in. It means that rather than leaning into the innovative direction that will put us ahead of the curve, most of us will try to not regret our decisions by focusing on short-term movements that we are familiar with – do what we have always done, nothing new.

In fact, we found that 79% of business owners – nearly eighty percent – fall prey to short-termism and miss the big moves that could enable them to achieve much greater and more consistent performance and growth. How can we help ourselves do the right things and lean into the turbulence? The key to navigating turbulent times isn’t to freeze—it’s to focus on strategic investments that position your company for long-term success.

The most resilient organizations recognize that downturns, crises, and uncertainty are opportunities in disguise. The Power of Bold Moves in Uncertain Times History proves that those who take decisive action in turbulent moments emerge stronger. Research from McKinsey found that companies that invested in innovation and talent development during economic downturns outperformed competitors by more than 30% in revenue growth once stability returned.

Harvard Business Review studies confirm this trend—businesses that maintained or increased spending on transformation initiatives during volatile periods saw 47% higher profitability in the recovery phase than those that took a cautious, wait-and-see approach. Yet, despite this compelling evidence, most leaders still hesitate.

Why? Because uncertainty triggers a survival instinct—playing it safe feels logical. But in reality, doing nothing often carries the greatest risk. The Investments That Matter Most So, where should leaders focus their energy and resources when the pressure is high?

The most successful companies prioritize:

Employee Experience – Understanding and ensuring your team has the environment, skills and adaptability to navigate change.
Technology & Innovation – Investing in AI, automation, and digital tools to drive efficiency and competitive advantage.
Customer Experience – Deepening relationships and refining service strategies to ensure long-term loyalty.

By making these moves before the storm passes, leaders create the momentum that ensures their organizations emerge ahead—not playing catch-up. The Question That Defines Your Next Move If history shows that bold investments in turbulent times lead to higher long-term success… what is stopping you from making them today?

Find out how to ask the question by touching base with me at michael@workinsights.io and check out our SME AI Adoption Fund for grants on getting a grip on AI.