Leading When the Only Certainty Is Change

By Marshall Goldsmith and Stephanie Grossman, PCC, CPCC

Change is no longer something leaders manage—it’s something they live in. Whether it’s AI innovation, shifting regulations, or geopolitical and economic curveballs, today’s environment demands more than just strategic agility. It requires personal agility.

Through our work with exceptional leaders across industries, we’ve noticed that what sets these leaders apart isn’t superior strategy or sharper instincts. It’s how they show up.

They practice self-awareness, self-regulation, and deliberate action. These three behaviors help leaders stay grounded when everything else is in motion.

Start With Self-Awareness

Most leaders think they’re self-aware. Very few actually are.

In moments of pressure, we tend to fall back on familiar habits, without realizing how those behaviors are landing. That’s why self-awareness is more than just insight. It’s the ability to notice how others perceive your presence, tone, and choices, and to shift in real time when they aren’t helping.

A senior executive encouraged his team to “speak openly,” but in meetings, he regularly interrupted people and dismissed their input. Over time, his team stopped speaking altogether. Conversations moved into side meetings, and alignment was lost on decisions. The leader believed he was promoting openness—in reality, his behavior was shutting it down.

Intent is rarely enough. Self-awareness begins when leaders actively look for the gap between how they mean to come across and how they’re actually experienced.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about noticing the disconnect—and being willing to close it. Self-awareness creates the foundation, but it must be paired with the discipline to act on that awareness.

Manage Yourself Before You Manage Others

Every leader feels pressure. The difference lies in how they respond in critical moments. Self-regulation is the internal discipline to manage emotional impulses, stay centered under strain, and model steadiness for others, especially when conditions are anything but steady.

A typically composed CEO was facing mounting public pressure around missed revenue targets. During a tense meeting, he abruptly challenged his CRO’s forecasts and assumptions in front of peers, undermining trust and sending ripples of blame through the organization. The shift in tone didn’t increase urgency; it eroded alignment and focus.

This is what happens when reaction replaces intention. Self-regulated leaders don’t suppress emotion. They manage it. They understand that their energy reverberates across the team, influencing how people think, act, and collaborate.

Composure builds trust, and deliberate actions reinforce stability.

Leading With Deliberate Action 

In environments marked by rapid change, people look to their leaders for more than just answers. They look for clarity, cohesion, and direction. Deliberate action is how leaders provide it: by identifying strategic priorities and reinforcing them through consistent, visible behavior.

After a major restructuring, a new executive stepped in to lead a cross-functional team. Rather than immediately implement new plans, she took time to listen. Through intentional one-on-one conversations, she uncovered the misalignments that had taken root. She introduced weekly sessions to reestablish priorities, clarify roles, and rebuild trust. Over time, communication improved, collaboration resumed, and the group established collective accountability.

Deliberate action doesn’t mean being slow: it means being clear. It turns good intentions into follow-through and makes space for people to reconnect their work to the bigger picture.

The best leaders don’t just move quickly. They move on purpose.

Leading Through Uncertainty

In a landscape where change is the only certainty, the most effective leaders are defined by their ability to remain present, grounded, and aligned, both with themselves and with the people they lead.

This is why self-awareness, self-regulation, and deliberate action move beyond soft skills. They’re essential leadership disciplines that equip individuals to navigate complexity without losing their footing—and help everyone around them stay connected to priorities and purpose.

Because when the path ahead is uncertain, trust in the leader becomes the clearest signal of all.

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a member of the Thinkers 50 Hall of Fame and is the only two-time recipient of the #1 Leadership Thinker in the World award. He has been ranked as the World’s #1 Executive Coach and Top Ten Business Thinker for years. His clients have included over 200 CEOs from around the world—including 5 U.S. CEOs of the Year.

Stephanie Grossman, PCC, CPCC leads StrandFive, an executive development and advisory firm. With extensive leadership experience spanning Fortune 100 companies to venture-backed startups, she partners with leaders and teams navigating growth, complexity, and change. Stephanie holds PCC (ICF) and CPCC (Co-Active) certifications as well as an MBA from UCLA Anderson.