How to stay steady when everything's shaky
It’s a tough time to be a leader.
Many of my clients are navigating painful decisions—layoffs, budget cuts, strategic pivots that feel more like waving a white flag. And while the business realities are challenging enough, it’s the personal toll that often weighs heaviest: the guilt of not being able to protect your people, the grief of watching a hard-won vision get put on pause, and the quiet questioning of your own role when so much is out of your control. In times like this, it’s easy for leaders and teams alike to lose momentum and disconnect from their purpose.
If you’re feeling that, you’re not alone.
But this moment—however heavy—isn’t the whole story. I’ve seen time and again how the smallest shifts in perspective can reignite a team’s motivation, even in the hardest seasons. It’s not about “silver linings” or toxic positivity—it’s about choosing, day by day, to lead with hope, clarity, and conviction.
Here are three pieces of advice, drawn directly from recent coaching conversations, that I hope will do just that: help you and your team remember what still matters, even now.
Keep the vision alive, even when you can’t act on it (yet)
One client, let’s call him Mark, is a VP of a newly-formed division. After a year of coming together, the department’s second year was intended to be about hitting their stride. And they were on track to do so; last fall, they gathered as a leadership team for the first time, identifying their team’s compelling purpose and their intended impact. It was a great moment, and folks were going into the new year with energy and enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, that momentum was cut short. Due to federal funding cuts, members of Mark’s team were laid off, and the division’s budget was cut by more than 50%. Mark felt awful, and so did his team.
I know many leaders are finding themselves in similar situations, and if that’s you, it’s important to remember one thing: you won’t feel this way forever. Through our work together, Mark came to the realization that these circumstances are a moment in time, and advised him to keep the grand plans they’d made—their vision for impact—top of mind, not only for them, but for the other departmental leaders as well. That way, when things do get better (or different), it won’t be about reselling the strategies you were previously aligned on, it’ll be about implementing them. Even if your timeline has shifted, there are still parts of your original plan you can build toward. Consider turning those grayed-out plans on your PowerPoint slide into real action by locking in the foundational work—depicted in black text—so the meaningful work doesn’t get lost in just keeping the lights on.
Ask yourself: How am I making sure our most meaningful work isn’t forgotten in the rush to survive?
Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is deliver what's needed
Another client, a CHRO navigating layoffs (let’s call her Christina), found herself in a company that didn’t truly value strategic HR. For months, she’s been weighed down by guilt—frustrated that she couldn’t do the work she was hired to do due to limited resources and organizational misalignment. But during our coaching session, she found a new perspective: what this company needs right now isn’t innovation or transformation—it’s structure. Delivering strong SOPs and clear policies allowed Christina to make a valuable impact. And just as importantly, this realization helped her give herself permission to move on and find a place where she could truly thrive. That shift in perspective lifted an enormous weight off her shoulders.
Christina’s experience is a reminder that leadership isn’t always about charging forward—it’s often about showing up with clarity and integrity, even in less-than-ideal circumstances. If you find yourself in a similar situation, start by assessing what’s urgently needed and identifying the key tasks that will have the most immediate impact, and shift your focus from what should be happening to what can be done right now. There’s real strength in doing what’s needed with care, even if it’s different from what you’d envisioned for yourself and your organization.
Finally, should you find yourself in Christina’s shoes, I encourage you to be honest with yourself about when it’s time to move on. Letting go of what a role should have been opens the door to finding one that’s actually right for you. Sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is lay the groundwork, wrap it up with a bow, and take your talents somewhere they’ll be fully seen and supported.
Ask yourself: How can I contribute to creating stability and structure in my organization, given the current challenges?
Your mindset is the only thing you can control — especially in uncertainty
When things are in turmoil, ground yourself by focusing on the one thing you can control: your mindset. Sometimes, when there's too much uncertainty, you may need to narrow your focus to “one day at a time.” But that’s not a weakness, it’s a survival strategy. A shift like that allows you to focus on what you can do today, rather than becoming overwhelmed by the bigger, more unpredictable picture. It’s a mindset that helps you stay steady without forcing false positivity.
Take these three steps to transform your perspective:
Envision the outcomes of your shift. What will change about where you focus your energy? What will stay the same? What will your situation look like in a week? A month? A year? How will your new mindset help your team?
Prioritize daily wins. Focusing on accomplishing small, manageable tasks each day can enhance clarity and focus, reducing stress and promoting a sense of control.
Reframe how you see change. Embrace change as a constant opportunity for growth rather than a threat. Adapting to new circumstances can lead to personal development and fresh perspectives.
You don’t have to have all the answers, but choosing to move forward, even in small steps, opens the door to progress. When you focus on what you can control, you shift from fear of failure to seeing what’s possible, and that change can be the foundation for overcoming the toughest moments.
Ask yourself: What would success look like, just for today?
In hard times, leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about staying grounded, choosing clarity over chaos, and making space for what still matters. Whether you’re preserving a vision, building necessary structure, or simply making it through the day with intention, every small shift adds up. I believe it will get better—because I have to believe it. There is no other option.
As the proverb says, “it is better to light a candle than curse than the darkness,” and you can do a lot more by viewing possibilities rather than assuming failure. I’m still seeing companies invest in their people—I signed two new clients this week to 6-month executive training programs for their senior leaders. Your work matters. It still has meaning—even if it’s on a small scale. And even if you’re between roles, the way you show up in the world—with steadiness, with care, with hope—makes a difference. Keep going.