Uncertainty isn’t new to business, but it feels more constant now. Economic shifts, rapid technological change, and market volatility—the variables multiply faster than anyone can control. For those navigating leadership in uncertain times, the question isn’t whether you’ll face challenges, but how you’ll keep your team steady, focused, and moving forward.
At Fortified Data, we’ve experienced our share of unpredictable moments. As a fully remote database services company, we’ve weathered industry transitions and adapted to changing client needs. Through it all, I’ve learned that building resilience leadership isn’t about being unshakeable—it’s about building the capacity to bend without breaking.
Resilient leadership practices are skills, not personality traits. They can be developed, practiced, and strengthened. When leaders embody these traits, they foster organizational resilience that allows teams to weather storms and emerge stronger.
Ground Resilient Leadership Practices in Core Values
When everything feels uncertain, the instinct is often to question everything. But effective leadership during uncertainty starts with anchoring to what remains constant—your values, your mission, and your commitment to your people.
At Fortified Data, our vision to be the preeminent data partner and our core values—Respect, Results Driven, Unique Experiences, Curiosity, and Give Back—don’t change when the market shifts. These aren’t flexible guidelines; they are the foundation of our crisis leadership approach.
I often ask, “What would be consistent with who we are?” rather than “What would be easiest?” This provides clarity when options seem overwhelming. Your values become your stability. When your team sees that leadership isn’t abandoning principles under pressure, they gain confidence that the organization has a steady center.
Communicate With Radical Transparency
Uncertainty breeds anxiety, and anxiety fills information voids with worst-case scenarios. One of the most powerful tools in building resilience leadership is honest, frequent communication—even when you don’t have all the answers.
I’ve learned to resist the urge to wait for perfect information. In leadership in uncertain times, your team needs to hear from you regularly, even if the message is “Here’s what we know, and here’s what we’re doing to figure the rest out.”
- Prevent Rumors: Transparency stops speculation from taking root.
- Model Engagement: It shows leadership is actively engaged with challenges.
- Remote Connection: In our fully remote environment, we hold regular company meetings and create space for real questions.
Transparency doesn’t mean creating alarm; it means being honest about the situation. People can handle difficult information far better than they can handle silence.
Focus on Control to Build Organizational Resilience
Uncertainty often comes with a side of helplessness. Resilient leadership practices involve helping teams distinguish between what’s within their control and what isn’t, then relentlessly focusing energy on the former.
When market conditions shift, we can’t control external realities. But we can control the quality of our service delivery and how we support each other. Organizational resilience depends on channeling energy productively.
In practice, this looks like asking “What can we do about this?” rather than “Why is this happening?” It means setting goals around controllable actions rather than uncontrollable outcomes.
Build Adaptive Systems, Not Rigid Plans
Traditional strategic planning often assumes a stable environment. But when leadership during uncertainty is required, rigid plans become liabilities. You must build adaptive systems that can flex as conditions change.
At Fortified Data, we set clear objectives; however, we hold flexibility in how we achieve them.
This adaptive approach requires feedback loops that provide early signals when something isn’t working. Crisis leadership means having the permission to pivot when evidence suggests a different approach would be more effective.
Invest in Your People’s Capacity
The most resilient organizations are built on resilient individuals. During uncertain times, it’s tempting to cut development budgets. But building resilience leadership means understanding that short-term thinking weakens your foundation.
We continue investing in our people’s growth even when the future feels uncertain. Learning new skills and earning certifications builds confidence and agency. Beyond technical skills, organizational resilience requires emotional capacity. We normalize conversations about stress and encourage work-life integration.
This investment signals that you see your people as partners in weathering uncertainty, building the loyalty necessary to persevere.
Make Decisions With Imperfect Information
In crisis leadership, waiting for complete clarity often means deciding too late. Resilient leaders develop comfort with making “good-enough” decisions based on imperfect information.
This doesn’t mean being reckless. It means establishing a threshold for decision-making that balances risk with opportunity. Our Senior Management Team gathers relevant information, consults with experts, and commits to a decision while remaining open to course correction.
Leadership in uncertain times requires shedding perfectionism. Making a timely, reasonable decision and learning from the outcome is almost always better than paralysis.
Create Stability Through Rituals and Routines
When external circumstances feel chaotic, internal consistency becomes an anchor. Resilient leadership practices include creating stability through predictable rituals.
In our remote environment, these take various forms:
- Consistent team meetings.
- Uncancelled one-on-ones.
- Quarterly planning sessions.
These aren’t bureaucratic boxes to check—they are psychological touchpoints. This consistency communicates that leadership is present and the organization continues to function.
Model Resilience, Don’t Just Preach It
Your team watches your leadership in uncertain times. They notice whether you panic or stay measured. Your behavior teaches them more about resilience than any speech could.
I’ve learned to be mindful of what I’m modeling. When I’m stressed, I name it but demonstrate how I’m managing it. Building resilience leadership extends to vulnerability. It doesn’t mean being invulnerable; it means bouncing back and giving everyone else permission to struggle and recover.
Celebrate Small Wins and Progress
During leadership during uncertainty, it’s easy to adopt a siege mentality. But resilience requires sustaining morale, which means acknowledging progress even when the finish line isn’t visible.
We recognize small wins—a difficult client situation handled well or a new process that’s working. When you balance challenge acknowledgment with progress recognition, you build the psychological reserves people need to keep going.
The Opportunity in Uncertainty
Here’s what I’ve come to believe: uncertainty isn’t just something to survive—it’s an environment where organizational resilience allows you to gain ground. While others freeze, organizations that navigate uncertainty with clarity and values can emerge with strengthened capabilities.
Building resilience leadership is about developing the capacity to move through challenges effectively. It creates an organization that is fundamentally stronger and more adaptable.
The uncertain times will come. The question is whether they’ll find you prepared. The resilient leadership practices you build now determine the answer.
Andrea Kaercher is Director of People and Strategy at Fortified Data, where she leads culture development, strategic planning, and change management for a fully remote team of 40+ database professionals. She believes that resilient organizations are built through intentional leadership practices that value people, adapt to change, and maintain clarity of purpose.