These days, most businesses are navigating external disruptions, due to tariffs, and struggling to plan for the long term. During times of uncertainty, having a framework to make decisions is even more critical, allowing you to learn, pivot, and adjust as needed in response to what’s happening around your organization. Here’s an approach to use for your organization.

• Review and Validate Strategic Anchor Points

  • These are your non-negotiables—the true north for decision-making amid

    chaos.

    • Mission clarity: Reaffirm why your organization exists.

    • Core priorities: Define 3–5 priorities that do not change, regardless of the disruption.

    • Risk tolerance: Align your decision-making with clearly defined risk appetite.

• Double Down on Resource Commitment to Sense & Scan for External Disruption Intelligence

  • Use structured methods to track and interpret disruption (e.g., tariffs, geopolitical shifts, supply chain volatility).

    • Signal detection:

      • Weekly/bi-weekly executive intelligence brief (cross-functional).

      • Frontline input loops (sales, ops, logistics).

    • Scenario planning:

      • Short-horizon (1–3 months).

      • Medium-term (3–12 months)

    • Tool: Use a 2x2 Impact vs. Likelihood matrix to prioritize disruptions.

• Apply a Filter

  • Evaluate potential actions using this 5-point filter:

Question Consideration

Alignment Does this support a core priority?

Impact What’s the upside/downside of acting vs not acting?

Speed Can we act quickly? What’s the opportunity cost of delay?

Control Do we have agency in this situation?

Learning What will we learn either way? Can we run a small test?

Businesses aren’t built and sustained on hope. If you don’t have a decision-making framework, it’s never too late to create one so you can respond vs react to what’s happening.

Visit RKCMANAGEMENTCONSULTING.COM for ideas and methods to guide your organization away from CHAOS and toward steady, reliable progress.