CEO Coaching: Going Big When Your World Is Upended

As our current administration continues its whiplash-inducing habit of making knee-jerk decisions, many businesses are being upended—or made irrelevant. Some probably deserve it. Many don’t.

If you’re leading a company caught in the crossfire of regulatory, financial, or political chaos, it’s time to ask a hard question: Is your business model still the best way to profitably serve your chosen market? Yes, there will be a new administration someday. No, the world will not reset to 2024. And let’s be honest—“hope” is not a strategy.

CEOs come in different flavors. Some are masters of operations—train conductors who keep things humming. Others thrive on crisis and chaos, rebuilding flaming wrecks with duct tape and caffeine. But if you’ve been a steady-handed operator and now face the need for dramatic reinvention, this is going to hurt.

Here’s the thing: organizations tend to mirror their leaders. Steady Eddies attract other careful Eddies. Shit-stirrers (hello, Elon) hire people who either thrive in, or at least tolerate, wild transformation.

If your train’s been on schedule but there’s now a tornado up ahead—or worse, you’re already in it—you probably need to throw out the old playbook. Tinkering around the edges won’t cut it. What worked in the past might actually cause you to fail now.

Leading through disruption means:

• Taking bigger risks
• Making faster decisions
• Seeking less consensus
• Acting with more creativity
• Growing a thicker skin

Oh, and getting your board, investors, and leadership team on board—fast. If they can’t adapt? Replace them. Harsh, but true.

Let’s not sugarcoat this: You might fail. Are you still in?

Because playing small ball won’t win this game. You’ll need to go big—bold decisions, bold changes, bold leadership.

Your current strategy, team, structure, and decision-making rhythm might be holding you back. As a wise advisor once said to me when I was whining about my own crisis: “No one is coming.” Translation: No one’s going to save you. No cavalry. No bailout. Just you.

Whether that fires you up or scares the hell out of you doesn’t matter. Prayer is great. But it’s not a business plan. Hope is lovely. But it won’t get you to breakeven.

Action will.

So, get organized. Get real. And get going.