“In the face of uncertainty, most managers cut. But leaders build.” - Futurist Jim Carroll

Anyone can cut costs. Slash and burn. Downsize staff. Close divisions. And in an economic downturn, that becomes the norm.

But there are only a few who can do the opposite - focus on growth.

After nine days of exploring how to lead with resilience, innovation, and momentum, one truth now takes center stage: Growth isn’t a result. It’s a decision.

And in moments of deep uncertainty, the best leaders choose it - on purpose.

Back in 2009, I spoke at a lot of corporate events amid the global economic downturns and witnessed firsthand how different organizations were dealing with it. I vividly remember the message the CEO of one global organization delivered at their leadership summit, sharing their recession roadmap with perfect clarity: “Our strategic priorities: survive, innovate, grow. We’ve done survival. Now we’re focused on building.”

That’s the growth mindset that is needed today. While others pull back, delay projects, freeze spending, and wait for signs of recovery, real leaders are moving forward. Fast. With intent. Because they understand that growth doesn’t happen after the storm passes. It begins now.

Around that time, in an interview with FoodProcessing.com, I shared the story of a global restaurant chain CEO who spoke just after the 2008 financial crisis; I was to follow him on stage for my message on the importance of innovation and looking forward. He opened with one minute on the dismal economic conditions and then spent the next nineteen minutes outlining eight clear growth opportunities.

He didn’t dwell on uncertainty. He obsessed over what came next.

This is how bold leadership sounds.

And in 2025, it’s exactly what’s needed. You might not see it, but this is what is happening in some organizations right now. And maybe it's the precise mindset that you need at this very moment. Right now, some leaders are:
investing with precision — not across-the-board cuts, but selective spending that seeds future wins.

The question isn't: “Will the economy recover?” It's: “Will you be ready when it does?” Or "Will someone else have already captured the ground you hesitated to take?”

So ask yourself: Are you leading from fear? Or building toward growth?
Because in the face of uncertainty, managers cut.

But leaders?

They build.

----
Futurist Jim Carroll knows that history shows us that 10% of organizations become breakthrough performers in times of economic volatility.

**#Growth** **#Leadership** **#Uncertainty** **#Building** **#Innovation** **#Mindset** **#Resilience** **#Opportunity** **#Future** **#Strategy**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decoding-tomorrow-your-daily-future-inspiration-in-the-face-of-uncertainty-managers-cut-but-leaders-build/

"In a downturn, you don’t find momentum. You make it!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

In a time of volatility, uncertainty, and a lack of clarity, the most natural reaction is often the worst one: we do nothing.

We pause. We overthink. We wait for something to settle before we make a move. 

We seek clarity and wait.

We end up waiting a long time - because the irony of this is that clarity doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from moving.

That's the real secret to getting through this volatile time.

Over the past eight posts, we’ve explored what it takes to lead into the future when everything feels unstable: replacing fear with action, and nostalgia with vision. Challenging inertia through innovation, and stress through strategic resilience.  Leading with agility over indecision, and thinking globally, not locally. Things like that.

But none of that matters if momentum is missing. Because without motion and moving forward, there is no forward.

That's why you need to imprint this idea in your mind. “You don’t find momentum. You make it.” The future doesn’t reward the ones who paused the longest. It rewards the ones who moved—even just a little—when no one else was.

And here's a secret you should know - progress isn’t always dramatic.

Sometimes it’s quiet, compounding, and invisible to everyone except those who kept showing up. Let me be blunt  - inaction is a decision. And it’s usually the wrong one. When volatility strikes, many leaders freeze - the exact wrong thing to do. But the organizations that keep moving build momentum that outlasts the downturn.

Why do you need momentum, even if you don't know where you are going?

→ It allows for achievements – small wins fuel bigger moves
→ It shifts your mindset – which is what you need
→ It enables refinement – progress improves as you move
→ It reveals direction – showing key trends

The key isn’t to make a massive leap. It’s to take the first step—and then another. And another. Soon you are walking into tomorrow - and then running.

You are already well into the race to the future, while the rest haven't even figured out where the starting line is.

---

Futurist Jim Carroll is already well into the Acceptance stage of the 7 Stages of Economic Grief because he knows that it is the only sure way to deal with the relentless uncertainty that already defines 2025.

#Momentum #Action #Volatility #Future #Progress #Strategy #Clarity #Leadership #Resilience #Adaptation

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decoding-tomorrow-your-daily-future-inspiration-in-a-downturn-you-dont-find-momentum-you-make-it/