5 Months To Go: Is it a Run or a Reset? 5 Moves to Finish Strong Without Sacrificing the Future

When things get tight: slower growth, budget pressure, under-capacity, leaders tend to default into one of two modes:

The Run: Focus on closing strong. Push to hit short-term numbers. Cut what you can. Survive the quarter.

The Reset: Pause to rethink everything. Pull back. Rebuild strategy. Maybe even delay execution until you have more clarity.

But here’s the truth: the best leaders are doing both.

They're closing the year strong, without mortgaging next year’s momentum. They’re making immediate progress, while investing in the foundations that will carry them into 2026 with clarity and strength.

And with five months left in the year: This is the window.

What the Data Says

This week, I asked founders and execs where they’re feeling the most pressure right now.

The top responses thus far:

• Talent and leadership gaps

• Resource constraints and burnout

• Slower sales and pipeline movement

• Strategy not executed

No surprise. There’s urgency across the board. But if you only run, or only reset, you’re leaving value on the table either way.

If you're overstretched, under-resourced and on the brink of burnout, your brain doesn't have the creative capacity to problem solve as it does in a regulated state. It's not that you don't have the answer; it's that you don't currently have access to it. How many times in hindsight have you said to yourself, "how did I miss that?" or "why didn't I think of that?" That is why! (That is another important topic for another day!) But for today- I got you! Here are some actual tactics you can apply to balance the needs of the now with the needs of the future.

5 Strategic Moves to Run and Reset at the Same Time

These are the levers I’ve used while leading inside a billion-dollar company, and the ones I help clients pull every day inside SK Collective.

1. Reallocate, don’t just reduce

Yes, it’s time to run lean. But cutting costs should also mean creating capacity.

Audit spend, roles, and efforts. Where can you shift resources toward higher-margin, high-impact activities? What initiatives deserve wind-down vs. reinvestment?

Ask: What’s moving the needle, and what’s just noise?

2. Invest in leadership capacity, not just headcount

Leadership gaps aren’t just about hiring. They’re about capability.

You don’t necessarily need more people; You need more decision-making clarity, business acumen, and alignment across your current team. That’s where development and executive-level coaching are non-negotiable.

Execution without capacity burns teams out. Vision without leadership stalls.

3. Align on your next chapter, but don’t wait to act

Most orgs either: a) Stick with a plan that no longer fits, or b) Scrap everything and go silent

Instead, revise. Recalibrate. Build a simple, scenario-based outlook for Q4 and 2026. Align your team to near-term moves that map to long-term direction.

Don’t wait for January to “figure it out.”

4. Activate your AI strategy (the right way)

AI isn't just a tool, it’s a transformation. A Boston Consulting Group study found that over 74% have yet to generate tangible value from AI, and a Forbes article this year posted similar stats- 75% of companies investing in AI are failing to realize ROI because of a lack of organizational readiness, aka strategic planning and training.

Systems are being rolled out without the users who will execute them. Without clarity. Without rollout plans. Without upskilling.

Start small:

• Pilot 1–2 high-impact workflows

• Train the users, not just the decision-makers

• Budget time and resources for adoption, not just software

Crawl. Walk. Then run.

5. Protect time for what’s next

Long-term growth doesn’t show up on your calendar. You have to make space for it.

That product idea you keep shelving? That new revenue channel? That internal capability that could future-proof your ops?

Put it back on the table. Even one small “future bet” executed now can change the trajectory of 2026.

This Isn’t an Either/Or Moment

You don’t have to choose between the run and the reset. You just need a strategy that lets you do both- with clarity, focus, and capacity.

That’s why I built SK Collective. Because I saw too many leaders trying to carry everything, and defaulting to reactive, short-term decisions when what they really needed was a partner to help them lead with intention.

Whether your team needs:

• Strategic clarity

• Cross-functional alignment

• Leadership development

• Or just space to think and move smarter...

We’re here to help you close strong and build what’s next.

What Now

The most strategic thing you can do today? Create space to think.

🗓️ Block 55 minutes on your calendar this week (saving 5 minutes so you have time to pee! I know, I've been there!), just for you. Use it to reflect on the 5 moves above:

• Where are you running hard?

• Where do you need to reset?

• And what’s getting in the way of doing both?

Leadership clarity doesn’t show up; It gets scheduled.

📞 Then, if you’re ready for support to sharpen your strategy, build capacity, or reset your leadership rhythm: Book a strategy call with me- here.

Whether you're behind, on pace, or ahead, how you show up in the next 60 days shapes the next 12 months.

You don’t have to carry it all. But you do get to choose how you lead through this.

Remember, the rising tide lifts all boats, and I'm here to lift yours.

-Stacey