Steady in the Storm: What Rhythm and Structure Make Possible
Tariffs are rising. Federal grants are in limbo. Budget cuts are hitting nonprofits. Supply chains are strained. Job security feels fragile. Federal jobs are being cut. Federal contracts are being cancelled. In this climate, it’s not about what you should’ve done - it’s about what you can do now. Structure creates clarity. Rhythm builds momentum. Coaching brings calm and direction. Together, they help you lead - especially when the path ahead is unclear.
Clarity, alignment, and momentum - even when the world feels unpredictable
“In a crisis, you need a system that can drive transformation—quickly.”
That quote from Measure What Matters stopped me in my tracks.
Because right now, many leaders I speak with are navigating situations that feel anything but steady. These aren’t minor disruptions - they’re big storms.
From rising tariffs and strained supply chains to frozen grants, canceled contracts, and shrinking federal budget - organizations are faced with new layers of complexity and forced to adjust in real time.
Strategic planning feels impossible. Stability feels out of reach. And even for organizations experiencing growth, it’s hard to know whether to scale up or hold tight.
What’s needed isn’t more hustle.
What’s needed is structure.
And not the rigid kind. Structure that creates space to adapt. Rhythm that keeps people moving forward together. A system that grounds you in what matters - and helps you act with clarity even when the ground feels shaky.
This post isn’t about what you should’ve done before the storm hit.
It’s about what becomes possible when you use a system to guide you through it.
Structure Isn’t a Luxury - It’s a Lifeline
There will always be storms - some bigger, some smaller. (And right now, for many organizations, they feel especially big.) But when you're leading through uncertainty, it’s not inspiration that gets you through. It’s the habits you’ve built, the cadence you’ve committed to, and the clarity you’ve created for your team.
Without structure, every new problem feels personal and overwhelming.
With it, you start to recognize patterns. You know when to zoom out, when to focus in, and when to recalibrate without scrapping everything.
A strong system doesn’t eliminate the storm.
It gives you a way to move through it - without spinning, stalling, or burning out.
The Power of Cadence: Strategy in Motion
In uncertain times, the instinct is often to pause, wait, or react. But building a business - or running a mission-driven organization - requires something different: forward motion with agility, grounded in constant assessment of where things stand and where they’re headed.
That’s where cadence comes in.
When your team is meeting regularly to align on goals, revisit priorities, and review results, you create muscle memory. Strategic thinking becomes a habit. Adjusting to change - whether it’s a small shift or a major storm - becomes part of the rhythm, not a disruption.
This is one of the most underrated benefits of a framework like Scaling Up. It gives you a structured cadence that keeps strategy from sitting on a shelf:
Quarterly planning to reset and refocus, align on the vision and execution plan
Monthly working sessions to dig into challenges and track progress
Weekly huddles to keep execution tight and communication flowing, providing time to tackle one or two pressing topics
The result?
You’re not reinventing the wheel every time something shifts. You’re just steering—with a system that helps you stay the course or change course without losing momentum.
Coaching as a Steadying Presence
Structure gives you rhythm. Coaching gives you perspective - and a partner in the process.
When things feel chaotic, a coach helps create clarity. They help you prioritize when everything feels like a priority. They create space to think strategically when urgency threatens to take over. And they hold the big picture, helping you keep your goals in sight while navigating the day-to-day.
But coaching isn’t just about perspective - it’s also deeply practical.
A coach brings structure to the conversations that matter most: planning sessions, team alignment, strategic resets. Not just as a facilitator (though that’s part of it), but as someone who ensures those meetings are productive, well-framed, and actionable. They bring tools to the table. Fresh perspective when things feel stuck. And frameworks that help you make better decisions - faster.
They also make sure every voice is heard. That senior leaders don’t just run the meeting - they get to participate in it.
In the middle of a storm - or a season of change - that kind of support isn’t just helpful. It’s transformational.
What a System Looks Like During the Storm
When you’re in the middle of uncertainty - when funding is delayed, contracts are on hold, or policy shifts change the playing field overnight - you don’t need lofty vision statements. You need a way to keep moving forward.
This is where a system proves its value - not in perfect conditions, but in pressure-filled ones.
There’s nothing more jarring to an organization than a sudden “emergency strategy meeting.”
It signals panic. It disrupts everything. And let’s be honest - it’s nearly impossible to get the right people in the room at the right time when things already feel chaotic.
Now imagine if those rhythms already existed.
When quarterly planning and strategic thinking is routine...
When monthly discussions are already happening...
When weekly check-ins are expected, not exceptional...
Then the conversation about what’s changed - and what to do about it - isn’t an interruption.
It’s just what you do.
You’re not scrambling to coordinate.
You’re assessing the conditions and adjusting course - because that’s part of your rhythm.
And beyond the logistics, the muscles are there.
The team has practiced these skills. Strategic thinking. Real-time decision-making. Honest conversations.
They're strong now - because they've been exercised over and over again.
This is what Scaling Up helps create: A structure that holds up when the storm rolls in.
Not rigid. Not reactive. But resilient.
The Storm Isn’t the Problem - Drifting Without a System Is
You can’t predict the storm.
But you can decide how you’ll navigate it.
With structure, rhythm, and support in place, you don’t need to hit pause when things get uncertain. You don’t need to scramble, freeze, or go it alone.
You can keep moving - calmly, confidently, and intentionally.
Because when the waves hit, it’s not the vision statement that gets you through.
It’s the habits. The cadence. The systems you’ve built.
If you’re feeling the winds pick up - whether in your funding, your strategy, your leadership team, or your market - this might be the time to put that structure in place. Or finally use the one you’ve been meaning to.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
But you do need a reliable way to plan, reset, and move forward - no matter what the conditions look like.
If this resonates and you’re not sure where to start, I’m always happy to connect.
Sometimes the first step is just talking it through.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
