Managers Lost in Uncertainty: Struggling Between Resilience and Helplessness

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**Managers Are Not Making an Impact -- And That's the Problem**

In video conferences, managers sit quietly, nodding in agreement, talking about transformation, resilience, and speed. The slides are neat, the language standardized. They know the terms, they know the models. Everyone has read the same books. They all know how things should ideally work.

But what no one knows is what tomorrow will look like.

"I make decisions based on principles that have always worked for me," says Thomas Berkner, division manager at an industrial group with 2,000 employees. "But lately, it feels like these very principles aren't helping us anymore."
It's not a clear failure that's at play here, but a deep uncertainty. Decisions still follow old patterns--budget cycles, target agreements, KPIs. Technically, everything still works because it's familiar to everyone. But it feels like navigating an outdated map through terrain that's long shifted in a new direction.

On the outside, they keep up the appearance of normalcy. But inside, it's a different story.

In private, this insecurity shows itself quietly. Insomnia, irritability--subconscious stress that continues to churn after hours. Managers talk about mindfulness, jog to clear their heads, optimize routines, check their smartwatches for guidance when external factors change. They know how to self-regulate, but self-optimization is no substitute for clear direction.

In times like these, organizations often look to the "swarm." They observe what others are doing: Which tools are being adopted, which structures are being rebuilt, which narratives are gaining traction. This might seem like a rational approach--but it's rooted in psychology. Solomon Asch's classic conformity study (1951) found that around 75% of participants conformed to an incorrect majority opinion at least once, even when they knew better. Uncertainty strengthens the need for social protection, not out of ignorance, but out of a subconscious desire to blend in.

Employees feel this uncertainty too.
"We hear the right words," says Miriam K?hler, a Product Manager at a digital company. "But then the decisions sound cautious--almost evasive. It feels like people at the top are more concerned with sticking to processes that are disconnected from reality. And I wonder if anyone still has a clear vision of where we're headed."
Leadership is becoming diluted, responsibility spread so thin that it's barely tangible.

This pattern is well known in social psychology. The Bystander Effect (Darley & Latan?, 1968) showed that as a group grows, the individual feels less responsible to act. In their experiments, the likelihood of someone intervening dropped from 85% for individuals to less than 40% in groups. Without clear ownership, responsibility evaporates.

This is what we're seeing on an organizational scale today.

It's a strange time--not a classic crisis, not a collapse, but more like a creeping blackout of certainty. The systems keep running, but the light flickers. And we're starting to see how much leadership has relied on something that's harder to name: Direction.

"In times like these, old formulas don't work," says Jessica Wahl, a personal performance executive coach. "Many of my clients are extremely competent. But when they come to me, it's clear they're still trying to operate based on old patterns. Those worked in the past, but now the rules are changing due to AI and shifting economic conditions."

J?rg Tewes, a personal performance coach, agrees: "The more uncertain the environment, the greater the temptation to follow benchmarks and majority thinking. But this is exactly when you need leaders who understand themselves, their teams, and the broader economic context--who trust their judgment, think ahead, and have the courage to break new ground."

Historically, transition periods have never followed manuals. They've always required leaders who recognize patterns earlier than others, who act decisively without waiting for guarantees. Leaders who are willing to be vulnerable. Visionary leadership has always been rare, not mass-produced.

"Charisma is less a performance and more a product of inner clarity," says Wahl. "It's the ability to endure uncertainty and still take action. Leadership doesn't stem from security--it stems from responsibility."

A fitting cinematic analogy is Mark Watney in *The Martian*. He's methodical and understated, until he's suddenly thrust into a situation where the survival of everyone depends on his decisions. He discovers strengths he didn't know he had--creativity, initiative, courage--and becomes the leader his team depends on.

This is leadership. It doesn't come from following models, reading the right books, or mimicking the crowd. It arises when someone has the courage to take responsibility, trust their judgment, and take the first step.

Those who hesitate watch from the sidelines; the others are shaping the future.

WAHLUNIVERSUM (R) PR
Berlin
https://www.jessicawahl.de

The Institute for Personal Performance Coaching has been empowering specialists, managers, and individuals in challenging professional environments for 20 years.

Jessica Wahl, Senior Performance Coach, breathing and speech therapist and NLP Master, and J?rg Tewes, qualified actor and Senior Performance Coach, are internationally recognized leaders in performance and career coaching.
The institute is located in a beautiful church in the heart of Berlin-Kreuzberg, offering an atmosphere of calm and clarity: an ideal contrast to the city's fast-paced energy.
The coaching approach focuses on attitude, presence, and sustainable performance in real-world settings, with the goal of strengthening clients both professionally and personally. Emphasizing soft skills, emotional intelligence, and authentic self-presentation, the program prepares clients for the complex demands of the modern workplace, where technical expertise and strong interpersonal skills are equally vital. https://www.jessicawahl.de

This release was published on openPR.