We’re barely 100 days into a new administration, and already, the economy’s bouncing like a dodgeball at recess. Tariffs, trade shifts, policy pivots—you name it. And yet, every strategy meeting I walk into, I hear the same thing: "We hope things will settle soon."

Hope? All I can picture is Burgess Meredith in Grumpier Old Men, shaking his head and saying, “Hope is for suckers.”

And honestly? He’s not wrong.

“Wait-and-see” isn’t a strategy. It’s a stall tactic. It’s what teams do when they don’t have a clue how to make decisions in murky waters. They freeze. They defer. They say things like, “Let’s circle back in Q3.”

Here’s the brutal truth: the fog isn’t going to lift anytime soon. So stop waiting for the sky to clear and start leading through it.

The Navigate Uncertainty Framework

This is my go-to for leaders stuck in decision limbo. It’s a simple three-step framework to cut through the haze and start moving forward:

1. Stabilize the Now

Forget the hypotheticals. Focus on what you know:

• Who are your core customers?

• What are your team’s current capabilities?

• What commitments are non-negotiable?

Get your feet on solid ground before you try to leap.

2. Decide with a Time Horizon

You don’t need a crystal ball—just a clock. Use the 70% rule: If you’re 70% confident, make the call. Then set a checkpoint—30, 60, 90 days—to reevaluate.

The cost of doing nothing is usually higher than the cost of a course correction.

3. Communicate in Draft Mode

Say what you know. Say what you’re still figuring out. Say it out loud.

Your team doesn’t expect you to be psychic. But if you’re silent, they’ll fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios.

Draft-mode leadership is still leadership.

So... You Still Hoping?

If your plan is to keep riding the hope train for the next three years, I’ve got bad news: it’s not going anywhere.

But if you’re ready to take the wheel, even with low visibility, you’ve already got what you need.

Start with this framework. Use it. Share it. Build on it.

And if you want a co-pilot to help you apply it in your business—well, you know where to find me.