Stop waiting. Lead with intent and agility

By now, the phrase “we’re living and working in uncertain times” has become more of a backdrop than a headline. We know that disruption is constant, and the pace of change is relentless. So, what does this all mean for leaders when it comes to strategy and planning?

Leadership has never been easy, and it’s only getting harder. Questions I hear often, or at least infer in many of my conversations with leaders today, are: How can I be more strategic? Where do I begin to make sense of all the information around me? What’s the best way to move forward when the rules of the game keep changing?

He also emphasized the importance of small decisions and being confident to move forward in uncertainty.

Leadership isn’t about always having all the information before committing. It’s about acting with intention. Asking better questions. Making the most of small decisions. And most of all, embracing a willingness to jump in, take chances, learn, adapt as needed and support others to do the same.

Forward momentum and speed of execution isn’t optional. Rapid tech shifts, rising customer expectations, intensified competition, and market volatility demand it. Yes, carving out time for deep thinking, research and long-term strategic planning is vital. But leaders also need to be quick and agile. There is more planning in pencil than setting detailed multi-year plans in permanent ink.

Here are a few questions worth asking when there is hesitancy to move forward: 

• What would I do differently if I wasn’t afraid of failing?
• What decision am I avoiding? And why?
• What signals am I missing or choosing to ignore?
• Where am I overthinking instead of acting?
• What’s one small step I can take today to create momentum?

And when you’re moving at pace:

• Is our speed creating real progress or just motion?
• Am I modeling the behaviours I expect from others?
• What are we learning and how quickly are we applying it?
• Where might my team need clarity, not just direction?
• Who might be struggling to keep up, and how can I support them?

With all this talk about speed and momentum, it is equally important for leaders to recognize when to hit the brakes and slow down. Speed without clarity creates chaos. And when you’re moving quickly, you’re bound to occasionally take a wrong turn or come to realize you must abandon a path altogether. Like flying through turbulence, a pilot may adjust altitude or reroute, but the flight path still points to the same destination. Leaders too must be confident to change direction along the way. With so much new information emerging all the time, the need for adjustments is inevitable.

In leadership, alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It takes consistent messaging and demonstrated behaviours to get your team to embrace a fast-paced strategy. You need your team to collectively become more comfortable with agility by fostering a safe and supportive culture for individuals at all levels to act more decisively.

Leaders, it’s time to get moving. Start small, stay grounded, adjust as needed and most of all, make sure that those you lead are with you on the journey.

This article was written by Bryan Benjamin, Executive Director at Ivey Business School Executive Education. In this role, he is responsible for setting the strategic direction and driving the overall performance of Executive Education. Bryan leads a dynamic team across Ivey’s campuses in Canada (London and Toronto) and Hong Kong, delivering applied leadership development programs that equip leaders to thrive in today’s complex world.