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Key Takeaways Strong decisions come from principles, not perfect data, especially in fast-changing environments.
Spotting early signals and learning quickly beats waiting for certainty or consensus.
In 2026, leaders will need to make high-stakes decisions with limited information, requiring frameworks and habits that anticipate change, balance risk and empower teams.
The pace of change these days is accelerating, and leaders face increasing pressure to make strategic decisions with incomplete or even conflicting information. Technology is part of the equation, but the real challenge is cultivating frameworks, habits and cultures that anticipate change instead of reacting to it.
Leaders must balance speed with deliberation, build resilient teams and focus on decision quality over perfection. The key to this involves setting priorities, spotting early signals and empowering teams to act confidently amid ambiguity.
Related: Why Most Small Businesses Fix the Wrong Bottleneck
Evolving the decision-making mindset
Earlier in my career, I made a lot of decisions under pressure, focused on short-term fixes and getting over the next hurdle. During volatile market moments, I would ‘tighten the reins’ and try to control every detail.
Over two decades of leading a services agency, which shifted into a resilience mindset: viewing the long game as equally important as short-term execution. This change means asking not just “What’s wrong?” but “How can we creatively adapt and come out stronger?” In this way, I shifted from reaction to resilience.
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