A client of mine is going through a rough patch right now. He is an executive for a global manufacturing company. His role requires coordinating resources and teams across the world, with a workload that tripled within two weeks. This means his travel has tripled as well, and he finds himself living out of a suitcase and staying up until 1 a.m. processing invoices and expense reports.
This is all against the backdrop of uncertainty most high-level executives and entrepreneurs today can relate to. Reacting to constantly changing tariffs, for example, which requires daily pivots to different suppliers and increased costs. Or difficulty finding the right talent for the right roles, and figuring out how AI fits into everything.
“It’s like drinking through a firehose,” my client explained.
It may seem impossible to avoid burnout during this time, let alone to keep leading at a high level. How do you stay consistent when the world around you is anything but? Leading through uncertainty means throwing out the old leadership playbook and embracing flexibility instead. Here are six principles to put in your new adaptable-leadership playbook.
1. Stop predicting and start adapting.
The current moment is proving that making predictions is not a good use of energy or resources. So how do you plan for the unexpected? Start by shifting strategic planning from an annual event to a quarterly check-in. This will allow you and your team to change plans more easily. Build adaptability into your systems by running small experiments with a closed feedback loop. Utilize that in place of giant, system-wide initiatives that are difficult to adjust at a moment’s notice.
2. Prioritize ruthlessly.
Like my client, many leaders I coach have been managing reactively, putting out fires every day. This causes everything to feel like a priority, and it’s difficult to focus on what’s important through all the haze and smoke. When confronted with a task, email, call, or so-called “emergency,” ask yourself, “What if I just stopped doing this?” Sometimes, the answer is “nothing.”
To help narrow down what doesn’t need your time and attention right now, identify three initiatives that are consuming time and resources while delivering little to no impact. Then either put them on pause, or stop them entirely.
Think of your workload as a garden. What are the dry weeds that can easily catch fire? What are the plants that hold water in their leaves and inhibit fires?
3. Build coalitions, not consensus.
When things change quickly, you can’t wait for consensus. By the time everyone weighs in on a decision, things have probably changed again. Instead, aim for alignment on vision, values, and mission—the things that remain steady through turbulent times. Give your people the autonomy to act within those boundaries.
Be clear on non-negotiables…and then, get out of the way. Your team will feel empowered, and you’ll be able to clear a bit of your inbox, calendar, and mental load.
4. Use AI intelligently.
Think of AI as a support partner that never needs time off. Use AI tools to handle routine, low-judgment tasks that can drain you of time and energy, such as reports, expense tracking, and scheduling. This can free you and your team to focus on tasks that are often rejuvenating—things that require creativity, relationship-building, and problem-solving.
5. Create “white space” to think.
When you’re in that reactive, putting-out-fires mode, you rarely have time and space to just think. Block out two hours of “white space” time each month with your leadership team, and ask questions that can help you build adaptability as a team: “What surprised us recently? What trends or signals are we noticing? What might we be missing?”
Invite people from different departments or regions to join you. What are they hearing from clients and customers? What are they noticing in their regions? Widening your perspective can give you more information, and more information makes it easier to adapt.
6. Protect your most valuable resource: you.
Burnout prevention isn’t a luxury to think about once things have settled down. It’s a non-negotiable. My client has recommitted to going for a morning run before his workday starts, no matter where he is in the world. It not only helps him stay healthy, but it grounds him mentally. He blocks his running time off on his calendar. If weather doesn’t allow an outside run, he hits the hotel treadmill.
Consider your own burnout prevention tools—whether they’re exercise, meditation, time in nature, time with friends and family, or whatever helps you feel renewed—as immovable boundaries for yourself and your team. The world isn’t slowing down anytime soon. However, with clarity, adaptability, and care for yourself and your team, you can lead through uncertainty and even find strength in it.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
Maya Hu-Chan
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