6. Hard Times Are Inevitable. We Need to Lead Better.
Published 18.03.2026
I keep hearing that this is the hardest it has ever been. Funny enough, it always seems to be the hardest it has ever been. Every year. Just with a different reason. I read it in articles. I see it in comments. Everything costs more. There’s no money left. Good people are hard to find.
All true.
But we’ve seen worse. Financial crises. Pandemics. And we got through them. Not by waiting, but by seeing what needed to be done and getting on with it.
Good leadership right now is simple. Act earlier than feels comfortable. Fix things before they break. Stop building operations that only work on good days.
And let’s be clear. Focusing on people is not soft. It’s responsible. Give your teams structure. Give them clarity. They will stick with you.
Build something that doesn’t rely on burnout or last minute saves. If your business only works when everyone is a hero, it won’t work for long.
Being loud is easy. Being calm and steady is leadership. Plan. Don’t wait. Move early. Keep your people close.
Hard times are part of the job. If you thought this industry was easy, you picked the wrong one.
We’ve been here before. Ignore the drama. Get on with it.
SO HERE'S YOUR CHALENGE:
Act sooner than you want to.
Fix one thing before it breaks this week.
And stop waiting for things to calm down.
They won’t. That’s your job.