Navigating Uncertainty: How CEOs Can Thrive in a Rapidly Changing Business Landscape

0:01This is not just an isolated regional situation. So there's a lot happening right now. And this is where leadership gets tested. So what we are going to be talking about today is why CEOs are having to move faster than ever and why a lot of leaders just can't keep up. You know, and then let's be honest right now, the gap between successful CEOs and everyone else is actually widening faster than ever before. And it's not because they're smarter. It's not because they've actually got better teams, but it's because they're making decisions faster. And let's be honest, in today's world, there is so much going on, in particular in the climate that we're facing today, with all of the chaos that's going on in the Middle East.

0:55So we're going to have an interesting conversation. So I'm Jeanette Linfoot. I'm the founder of Brave Bold Brilliant. And today, I want to talk about something that I'm seeing across boardrooms, founders and the leadership teams that we work with globally. Now, for those of you that don't actually know, we have a podcast and that podcast, Brave Bar Brilliant, is in the top one and a half percent of all podcasts in the world. So if you're not following the podcast, make sure you hit that subscribe button. We're on YouTube as well. And of course, we're across all of the social media platforms. So that means that every time we go live with an episode, you're going to get notified of that.

1:38So, you know, we're here to help individuals, individual leaders, executive teams and businesses scale up. But it is difficult, in particular, when the external environment is against us. So, you know, in all honesty, the leaders who are winning in 2026 are not the ones that have all the answers. They're actually the ones who are willing to move before they feel ready. and you know we all we often do not have complete information and certainly you know for the 30 years plus that I've been in business both as a corporate CEO running huge global travel businesses and as a portfolio business owner myself working with the incredible clients that we work with globally you know you never have perfect information you never have enough time but leadership is about making the decisions that you need to make the tough decisions even without the perfect scenario playing out and we have to work at pace now the decisions that we make as leaders may not always be right but the most important thing is to make a decision you know and and then of course you will know pretty soon whether the decision you've made is the right one in which case great you push on ahead or if it isn't the right one then you will know sooner rather than later and you're able then to actually make some adjustments so you know let's be honest the business landscape right now it's intense as i say we have got an awful situation playing out in the middle east where you know people are losing their lives but also as a business owner or as a corporate ceo running a business maybe or even as a solopreneur that isn't even in the Middle East all of this is affecting so many different things it's affecting livelihoods it's affecting people's lives and personal situations it's affecting businesses and that means jobs as well so there's a lot going on right now now I'm the kind of person that will always be dealing with the situation that faces us.

3:54And I know that for you, in your leadership journey as well, that you will also be thinking about how do you make the right decisions, in particular when the times are really tough. You know, we're seeing as a result of this, a huge increase in the price of oil. That affects global economies. This is not just an isolated regional situation. So there's a lot happening right now. And this is where leadership gets tested. This is where high performing teams need to pull together and really have each other's backs. And it is not easy. It really is not easy. So I wanted to jump on, you know, do this video because it's tough right now.

4:36And I personally have been through a lot of challenges in my professional career. You know, I was actually with a client a couple of weeks ago, moderating and doing a keynote speech at their annual leadership conference. And this is the top 180 people in this big organisation. And actually, you know, we were talking about how turbulent the world is, not just today, but has been for the last 20, 30 years and way beyond that.

5:08So before we continue, I want to speak directly to those of you who are listening and thinking, I know I'm capable of more, but I need structure. I need some help. Because here's what I've actually learned after, gosh, more than three decades in business. You know, ambition without clarity creates frustration. And motivation without structure, it really does fade very, very fast. So that's exactly why we created Rise Academy. And Rise Academy, it's not theory. It isn't fluffy motivation, although you will be motivated. And it certainly isn't another online course that you never finish. It's actually a fully structured growth environment for ambitious entrepreneurs, leaders and founders who absolutely are ready to do all of these things, sharpen their strategy, elevate their leadership, increase revenue with intention, and build businesses that actually support the life that they want.

6:15And inside Rise Academy, we focus on the foundations most people skip, leading yourself, leading your teams, and leading the business. It's about clarity, standards, decision-making, commercial intelligence, and execution. Because scaling, it really isn't about doing more. It's actually about doing the right things and doing the things right consistently. So if you're serious about stepping up into your next level of your leadership, your business life, and not just consuming content, but actually implementing it, then Rise Academy was absolutely built for you. So you can find all the details on our website.

6:56Go to www.brave-bold-brilliant.com. And now let's get back to the show.

7:06So we have to navigate these difficult situations and certainly having had a background in travel, leisure, hospitality, even more so, those sectors can be seriously affected. So, you know, markets are shifting even without the current situation happening in the Middle East. Technology is accelerating at a pace that is absolutely stratospheric. You know, if we think about AI and just how much that is disrupting businesses, it creates great opportunities, absolutely, for us to go further faster. But it's also disrupting the old way of doing business. And that means also it needs to disrupt also the way that you lead.

7:48You know, and let's be honest, customer expectations are evolving constantly. You know, we have a lack of patience, don't we? in general. I see that even in myself as a customer. You know, I want things to work really smoothly, really fast. And we live in a very, very fast world and customer expectations are even more demanding than ever. And, you know, you might be saying, well, that's great, but what does that mean for me? Well, essentially what it means is that the old leadership model where you analyse, you plan, you implement, you perfect. All of that is really being turned on its head, you know, because by the time you've done all of that, you know, and you've got the perfect plan, which actually perfection never exists anyway, the opportunity has already passed or the crisis situation has really moved on to another level.

8:40So this works both in the context of dealing with a very risky crisis scenario or dealing with a big opportunity that might come up very suddenly and unexpectedly. So, you know, what I see holding a lot of leaders back, you know, is this overthinking, waiting for certainty, trying to de-risk every situation. But, you know, honestly, the truth that people don't really talk about and don't tell you is that in today's world, certainty doesn't exist. I mean, we can see that as we speak today. And if you're waiting for it, you're already behind. We have to be able to navigate difficult situations with uncertainty and incomplete information.

9:26And that is where the strength of a leader really shows up. so you know as i say i've spent 30 plus years in business and i've seen a lot i work with huge global brands really privileged to work with amazing organizations today both with the executive team with the senior leadership team or with the high potential groups through our rise academy and it's always the same thing we have to deal with three elements right first of all leading yourself you have to put your own oxygen mask on first if you can't be the best version of yourself how are you going to be the best for your teams for your clients for your business colleagues for your loved ones so you have to lead yourself first secondly leading teams galvanizing behind your team is so important in particular during times of uncertainty because you have to have each other's backs.

10:21And then thirdly, leading the business, making the tough business decisions that need to be made, which may not be popular with certain people that you have to manage. But at the end of the day, if you're in this survival mode and this pace of change that we're seeing in today's business world, this is what leadership is about. This is what modern leadership is all about today. So, you know, actually, what do top CEOs do differently? So I'm just going to share with you a couple of thoughts that might help you in your leadership whether you're a ceo whether you're a managing director whether you're actually running a department or you might even just be running your own small business but these characteristics and this perspective is equally relevant but the ceos that i work with you know the ones that are scaling they're building biz businesses they may be exiting you know and they they actually operate very differently so i wanted to just share with you how they how they actually are different so they make decisions and that's often with only 70 percent of the information not 100 as i say you know i've had to make really tough choices throughout my business life and nine times out of ten i do not have all the information i would like to have but i have to make a decision anyway and that's the reality so yes i say perfection doesn't exist but making decisions with incomplete information is an absolute critical part of being a CEO that's going to stand out from the crowd and lead the business through challenges and opportunities and those that don't.

11:56Secondly, they trust their instincts, not just the data. Now, the data is important, but you do have to have a feel for this as well and trust your gut. Trust your gut a little bit as well. And I actually interviewed Jean-Jacques Moran recently. Jean-Jacques is the deputy group CEO of Accor, which is a huge hospitality business, one of our major clients. I interviewed him for my podcast, and that episode is going to be episode 600. It's going to be actually out imminently. So, 24th of March, that episode is actually going to be out. So, make sure you check out that one. But in that conversation that we had, which was a hugely, hugely interesting conversation from someone that's running a massive global organization you know what he was talking about was having the stomach having the stomach for for business and the stomach for that and that's you know trust your gut so that is also a very very important part of being a good leader the third aspect is they prioritize speed over perfection you know we have to make choices fast sometimes you know and CEOs that actually do stand out, they recognize that speed creates opportunity, but hesitation can kill it.

13:19And also the other flip side of that is that it's not just about, you know, dealing with the opportunities. We have to also deal with any challenges that come our way. But in both scenarios, you have to be able to respond quickly. So let me just reframe this for you. You know, it's not about making perfect decisions. It's about making decisions and becoming the kind of leader who can handle whatever happens next. So, you know, if you're watching this today and you're stuck on something in your business, you know, just ask yourself, what decision am I avoiding right now? Secondly, what would happen if I just moved today?

14:05because clarity it doesn't come before action clarity comes from taking the action so there's a lot in this and it's very very pertinent as we navigate through the world of business in today's environment but you know in summary the leaders who will dominate not just this year but the next era they're not going to be the most cautious they won't be the most prepared they'll be the ones who are brave enough to actually move, who make the decisions when everyone else is still thinking. So, you know, if this resonates with you, drop a move, right, move in the comments or send us a message that says move.

14:50And if you're serious about stepping into that next level of leadership, you know, really go and check out everything that we have to offer through Brave Bob Brilliant, whether it's our executive edge program, whether it's our leadership masterminds, whether it's our rise academy, you know, for managers and future leaders and absolute, you know, talent in your business where you need to really invest in your teams at times like this. We can help you and your teams build the clarity, the confidence and the strategy to scale faster than you ever thought possible so as always it is by being brave and bold that you are going to unlock your brilliant so join the community hit the subscribe button go and check out the website www.brave-bold-brilliant.com we are here to help you we're passionate about people we're passionate about leadership we're passionate about business and it's during times like this that we need to lean into each other and make sure that we are being brave and bold in order to unlock that brilliant.

16:00So until next time, take care and I'll catch you when the weather breaks. I really hope you've enjoyed this episode of Brave Bold Brilliant. Remember, check out our new website, www.brave-bold-brilliant.com. You're going to find loads of resources on there that's going to help you with your leadership journey and with the businesses that you're trying to scale up and grow. so take care everyone and remember there are no limits to your growth but it is by being brave and bold that you're going to unlock your brilliance