Between resilience and helplessness - managers need an inner compass in uncertain times

Managers don't stand out these days. And that is precisely the problem.

In video conferences, they sit quietly, nod in the right places, talk about transformation, resilience and speed. The slides are clear, the language standardized. They know the terms, they know the models. Everyone has read the same books. They all know how things should actually be.

But what nobody knows is what it will look like tomorrow.

"I make decisions based on tried-and-tested principles that have always brought me good results so far," explains Thomas Berkner, division manager of an industrial group with 2,000 employees. "But at the same time, I have the feeling that these very principles are not helping us at the moment."
It is not a clear failure that can be felt here, but a deep insecurity. Decisions still follow the old patterns - budget cycles, target agreements, key performance indicators. Technically, this all works because it has been learned and believed by everyone. But it feels like navigating a familiar map through a terrain that has long since moved in a different direction.

On the outside, you keep the shape. Not on the inside.

In private, this insecurity is quietly apparent. Insomnia, increased irritability - a subconscious that continues to work at night because the head can't find answers. Managers talk about mindfulness, go jogging, optimize routines, keep looking at their smartwatch to find orientation when external parameters shift. They know how self-regulation works. But self-optimization is no substitute for a clear direction.

Organizations therefore often resort to swarm knowledge. They look at what others are doing: Which tools are they introducing, which structures are they rebuilding, which narratives are currently acceptable. This seems rational - but it can be explained psychologically. The classic conformity study by Solomon Asch (1951) showed that around 75 percent of participants consciously conformed to an incorrect majority opinion at least once, even though they knew better. Uncertainty reinforces conformity - not out of stupidity, but out of a need for social protection.

Employees also feel this insecurity.
"We actually hear what seem to be the right words," says Miriam K?hler, Product Manager at a digital company. "But then the decisions always sound so cautious, somehow evasive. People are only concerned with adhering to processes that are increasingly divorced from reality. And I'm starting to wonder whether anyone at the top still has a clear idea of where things are going." Leadership is becoming a moderated movement. Responsibility is distributed until it is barely tangible.

This pattern is well known. In social psychology, it has been true since the Bystander study by Darley and Latan? (1968): The larger a group, the less the individual feels responsible to act. In their experiments, the probability that someone would intervene fell from 85 percent for individuals to less than 40 percent in groups. Responsibility evaporates if it is not clearly accepted.

What we are currently experiencing is an organization-wide version of this effect.

It's a strange time. Not a classic crisis. Not a collapse. More like a creeping blackout of certainties. The systems keep running, but the light flickers. And you begin to sense how much leadership has been living on something you could barely name for some time: Direction.

"In such phases, the usual strategies for success simply no longer work," says Jessica Wahl, personal performance executive coach and consultant for managers in transformation processes. "Many of my clients are extremely competent - but when they come to me, it often quickly becomes clear that they are still trying to act according to old patterns. This works in old systems, but not when the parameters have changed drastically due to AI and changing economic conditions."
J?rg Tewes, Personal Performance Executive Coach, has also made similar observations: "The more uncertain the situation, the stronger the urge to orientate oneself towards existing benchmarks and the majority. But it is precisely in these times that we need people who really understand themselves and their team, who understand the economic context, who listen to their gut feeling, think ahead and at the same time courageously break new ground - while maintaining their composure."

Historically speaking, this is not an unusual state of affairs. Transition periods have never worked according to manuals. They have always needed people who recognize patterns earlier than others, who make decisions without waiting for guarantees. People who are prepared to be vulnerable. Visionary leadership has never been mass-produced. It was always rare.

"Charisma is less about show than inner clarity," says Wahl. "It's about the ability to endure ambiguity and still take action. Leadership doesn't come from security - it comes from responsibility."

Hollywood provides a fitting image for this: Mark Watney in "The Martian". He works conscientiously and neatly, remaining inconspicuous. But then he is suddenly faced with a situation in which everyone's survival depends on his decisions. He discovers new strengths, develops creativity, initiative and attitude - and thus becomes an indispensable leader.

This is how leadership works. It does not come from models, books or the swarm. It arises where someone has the courage to take responsibility, trust their judgment and take the first step.

Those who hesitate remain spectators. Others shape the future.

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

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

Jessica Wahl, Senior Performance Coach, therapist specializing in breathing, voice, and speech, and J?rg Tewes, qualified actor and Senior Performance Coach, are internationally renowned as leading experts in performance and career coaching.

Coaching takes place in a unique setting in the heart of Berlin-Kreuzberg: The institute is located in a beautiful church that provides an atmosphere of calm, concentration, and clarity - a calm contrast to the vibrant energy of the city.

The coaching focuses on attitude, presence, and sustainable performance - all under real-world conditions with a clear goal: to strengthen individuals both professionally and personally. Emphasis is placed on the development of soft skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to present oneself authentically. In this way, clients are optimally prepared to meet the complex demands of the modern workplace, where technical expertise and strong interpersonal skills are equally important. https://www.jessicawahl.de

This release was published on openPR.