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#adaptation

5 posts5 participants1 post today

"In a downturn, most companies don’t fail because they lack opportunity - they fail because they can’t get out of their own way." - Futurist Jim Carroll

Leaders build. Managers cut. That much is known. What is also known is that if you want to grow during a downturn, now is the time to move, not wait.

But let’s be honest. You can’t build what’s next if you’re still stuck in what’s holding you back.

That’s what this post is about.

Before you get into a growth mindset in a downturn - which seems like a contradiction - you have to face the barriers that will hold you back. And here's what I know from the advising leadership team during every major downturn since 2001: recessions don’t just expose economic volatility. They expose internal vulnerability.

What are those vulnerabilities? Business models that no longer fit. Teams that are afraid to act. Cultures allergic to risk. Short-term thinking that kills long-term opportunity. Things like that. Over time, I've seen a clear pattern emerge in the way organizations respond to volatility - there are two kinds of companies:

- those who got stuck in their economic rut, too paralyzed to move

- and those who became fast, focused, and fearless innovation leaders

Both types were in the same economy - but only one type made it to the other side stronger.

So what separates them? It’s not industry. Not funding. Not even market conditions. It’s this: the ability to confront what’s really holding them back. Because the reality is big disruption happens during big uncertainty, but most companies miss it, because they’re too focused on defending the past instead of designing the future.

So ask yourself:

What’s holding you back right now?

What decisions are you avoiding?

What assumptions or habits are you still clinging to?

Because before you can talk about growth strategy…before you can reimagine business models…before you can disrupt...you need to confront what’s holding you back.

This isn’t about what’s happening around you.

It’s about what’s happening inside your organization.

---

Futurist Jim Carroll believes that this current moment in time is as much an innovation story as it is a recession story. Act accordingly.

**#Barriers** **#Growth** **#Leadership** **#Mindset** **#Risk** **#Innovation** **#Velocity** **#Opportunity** **#Adaptation** **#Momentum**

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

"In a downturn, you don’t find momentum. You make it!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

In a time of volatility, uncertainty, and a lack of clarity, the most natural reaction is often the worst one: we do nothing.

We pause. We overthink. We wait for something to settle before we make a move. 

We seek clarity and wait.

We end up waiting a long time - because the irony of this is that clarity doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from moving.

That's the real secret to getting through this volatile time.

Over the past eight posts, we’ve explored what it takes to lead into the future when everything feels unstable: replacing fear with action, and nostalgia with vision. Challenging inertia through innovation, and stress through strategic resilience.  Leading with agility over indecision, and thinking globally, not locally. Things like that.

But none of that matters if momentum is missing. Because without motion and moving forward, there is no forward.

That's why you need to imprint this idea in your mind. “You don’t find momentum. You make it.” The future doesn’t reward the ones who paused the longest. It rewards the ones who moved—even just a little—when no one else was.

And here's a secret you should know - progress isn’t always dramatic.

Sometimes it’s quiet, compounding, and invisible to everyone except those who kept showing up. Let me be blunt  - inaction is a decision. And it’s usually the wrong one. When volatility strikes, many leaders freeze - the exact wrong thing to do. But the organizations that keep moving build momentum that outlasts the downturn.

Why do you need momentum, even if you don't know where you are going?

→ It allows for achievements – small wins fuel bigger moves
→ It shifts your mindset – which is what you need
→ It enables refinement – progress improves as you move
→ It reveals direction – showing key trends

The key isn’t to make a massive leap. It’s to take the first step—and then another. And another. Soon you are walking into tomorrow - and then running.

You are already well into the race to the future, while the rest haven't even figured out where the starting line is.

---

Futurist Jim Carroll is already well into the Acceptance stage of the 7 Stages of Economic Grief because he knows that it is the only sure way to deal with the relentless uncertainty that already defines 2025.

#Momentum #Action #Volatility #Future #Progress #Strategy #Clarity #Leadership #Resilience #Adaptation

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

"In a time of uncertainty, the future doesn’t slow down to give you time to make up your mind!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

Uncertainty is not an excuse to stall. It’s a signal to move—strategically, swiftly, and with intent.

And yet, in moments like this, indecision becomes the silent killer. Leaders delay. Organizations drift. People pause, waiting for “clarity” that never comes. And in a moment in history that features relentlessly unpredictable - and some would say insane - levels of uncertainty, indecision becomes aggressive.

But the future doesn’t reward those who hesitate. It penalizes them, punishes them, and hurts them, by setting them further back. It rewards those who know how to pivot, adapt, and accelerate—even when the ground is shifting beneath them. I've said this before: “The biggest risk isn’t moving too fast—it’s moving too slow while the world speeds up.” That reality becomes more pronounced during an era of uncertainty.

In every previous downturn, we’ve seen the same pattern. The companies that acted with agility—who streamlined decision-making, shortened timelines, and empowered their teams—came out ahead. They didn’t rush blindly. But they didn’t wait for permission, either. They were bold, fast, and focused.

What did they do?

- they built cross-functional teams with the authority to decide in real-time.

- they prototyped quickly, then scaled what worked.

-they adopted an iteration mindset: test, learn, refine—then repeat.

- they aligned on mission clarity, so even in chaos, the direction was clear.

And that mindset isn’t just aspirational. It’s proven through research. I summed it up after the last crisis: “Bureaucracy is out. Speed is everything. The future belongs to those who can decide—and move.”

Here's the key thing to think about: agility isn’t recklessness. It’s responsiveness. It’s not about rushing blindly—it’s about having the confidence to move when others are still overanalyzing the map.
The greatest risk right now? It isn’t moving too fast. It’s moving too slowly while the world speeds up. And the greatest mistake? Doing nothing.

So as this new era of global uncertainty accelerates, are you still fine-tuning your plans while others are executing theirs?

Because the future isn’t waiting.

And neither should you.

**#Uncertainty** **#Action** **#Agility** **#Speed** **#Decision** **#Future** **#Leadership** **#Strategy** **#Adaptation** **#Momentum**

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

"The future rewards those who adapt under pressure, not those who break because of it" - Futurist Jim Carroll

Over the last five days, I’ve shared how we lead ourselves and our organizations through this moment of global volatility—one shaped by economic uncertainty, political instability, and cultural retreat from the future.

Beginning by reaffirming belief in progress, even when it feels stalled

Confronting fear with action

Challenging nostalgia with vision

Spotlighting innovation as the antidote to inertia

Emphasizing the importance of thinking across time horizons—managing today while preparing for tomorrow

But there's something deeper that sits underneath all of that: pressure..
That’s the real test—managing this moment. Keeping our heads on straight. Not letting the negativity consume us or define our future. If there’s one constant through every downturn, disruption, or crisis, it’s this: stress is the defining force of the moment. And how we respond to that stress—organizationally, personally, and strategically—determines whether we fall back, freeze up, or forge forward into what’s next.

That’s why today, it’s not just about planning for the future.

It’s about learning to adapt under pressure.

Every moment of disruption applies pressure. And pressure reveals everything. It reveals which organizations and individuals have foundations that flex, and which ones crumble. It reveals leaders who focus forward—and those who fold under volatility.

Right now, we’re not just navigating an economic downturn. We’re navigating a world defined by compounding stress—market stress, leadership stress, and system stress. But stress, when met with strategy, becomes fuel for the future.

I’ve written about this before: “It’s in our response to volatility that our future is defined.”

The most future-ready companies don’t panic. They channel pressure into progress. They don’t crumble under stress—they restructure, refocus, and realign. They transform pressure into precision—cutting noise, not capacity. They rethink agility, not just in structure but in mindset. They use stress as a forcing function—to do what needed doing all along.

My advice is clear: You don’t rebuild your organization for the next crisis. You rebuild during this one—for the world that follows.

Stress is unavoidable. But breaking is not.

**#Adaptation** **#Pressure** **#Resilience** **#Stress** **#Future** **#Crisis** **#Leadership** **#Growth** **#Strategy** **#Volatility**

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

Toronto adaptation of 'The Little Prince' was written by and for the deaf community
A Toronto theatre is running an adaption of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's whimsical tale The Little Prince with a script written especially for the deaf community, and performed entirely by a deaf cast. 
#theatre #adaptation #community #Toronto #News #Canada
cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/lit

What Wicked Can Teach Authors About Adaptation

Many authors dream of seeing their books transformed into Broadway sensations or blockbuster films—but the journey from novel to script isn’t always smooth, or even successful. Even with industry interest, the adaptation process can be full of creative compromises, unexpected…
hiddengemsbooks.com/what-wicke

#ForAuthors #WritingCraft #adaptation #adaptinganovel #adaptingforfilm
@indieauthors

HiddenGemsBooks · What Wicked Can Teach Authors About Adaptation - Hidden Gems Book BlogWicked offers authors a blueprint for crafting adaptable work that can leap off the page and come alive on stage or screen. 

"Inertia feels safe. Until it isn’t. Innovation feels risky. Until it wins." - Futurist Jim Carroll

Uncertainty rewards the inventive, not the indifferent.

Recessions test everything—strategy, structure, and above all, mindset.

You are going through all that right now with the wild whiplash of this moment in time. You can't easily define strategies straight in a world in which one moment the world is up and the next is down. You can't figure out a path forward when the path keeps changing. You can't plant a flag on a foundation of certainty where there is none.

But what you can do is commit to investing in your future through innovation.

Think about it - when the world turns volatile, most companies do the typical thing - they freeze. They cut everything. Delay everything. Protect what was. Go into a mode of delay. But others take a different route: they innovate—not recklessly, but intentionally. They adapt their offerings, reframe their markets, and lean into change.

History tells us who wins.

In past downturns, the most resilient companies continued to invest in R&D, product development, and digital transformation, even as they restructured costs elsewhere. They embraced frugal innovation—creating smarter, leaner, more relevant solutions with limited resources. They used the moment to reimagine offerings for evolving customer needs.

They didn’t innovate in spite of the crisis. They innovated because of it.

These companies weren’t reckless. They were strategic.

They used volatility as a forcing function to rethink how they deliver value—and to whom.

And the results speak for themselves - they:

- captured market share: Outpaced competitors by staying relevant during volatility.

- deepened customer loyalty: Met changing needs with smarter, faster solutions.

- reimagined offerings: Pivoted products and services to fit the moment.

- streamlined structures: Transformed operations to move with greater speed.

- accelerated disruption: Fast-tracked innovation that would’ve taken years otherwise.

Meanwhile, those that chose inertia? Most never caught up. Because innovation isn’t a luxury for good times. It’s a necessity for what comes next.

In the end, volatility favors those willing to reinvent—while inertia quietly takes the rest out of the game.

Which side of the curve will you be on?

---

Futurist Jim Carroll spoke on resilience and innovation in uncertainty at dozens of leadership meetings post ’01, again in ’08, and guided organizations again in ’20. He’s developed a comprehensive overview of how to move forward, not back, during an era of uncertainty. It’s being shared here and documented at tomorrow.jimcarroll.com

**#Innovation** **#Uncertainty** **#Resilience** **#Adaptation** **#Strategy** **#Crisis** **#Volatility** **#Future** **#Growth** **#Reinvention**

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

“If you want to be part of what’s next, leave your nostalgia at the door" - Futurist Jim Carroll

You need to commit.

Yesterday, or tomorrow?

I know where I'm going. It's in my job description.

Think about it - at this very moment, we’re witnessing a battle playing out everywhere—across boardrooms, governments, industries, at parties and sports events and family get togethers. The battle is being  driven by a vainglorious and ill-fated desire to try to take things back to where they were - not to where they are going.

And one of the most important things you need. to do is make your decision - and stick to it - as to where you are headed.

It's a battle of vision vs. nostalgia.

Of strategy vs. sentimentality.

Of building what’s next vs. longing for what was.

It's really not a fair fight.

We’ve reached a point where the familiar is failing - old industries are dying, old skills are becoming irrelevant,  old knowledge is going out of date, old jobs are disappearing. In the context of that? New industries, skills, knowledge, jobs - and new opportunities.

It's called disruptive change, and it is very real. The new rule is that older stable ideas aren’t stable. Playbooks that were once reliable aren’t playable. Assumptions and strategies that served the past no longer serve the future. The fact is, the world’s moving faster than our old systems were designed to handle.

And yet—some still cling to the comfort of past success like it’s a security blanket.

But nostalgia is not a strategy. It’s a sedative.

Recessions and disruptions are not the time to shrink your ambition.

They’re a time to reshape it.

So ask yourself: Are you holding onto what used to work—or reaching for what could?

The future doesn’t wait for comfort.

It rewards courage.

#Nostalgia #Future #Change #Innovation #Adaptation #Leadership #Disruption #Vision #Strategy #Reinvention

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin

No one eats meat in the city of Sequoia, the fictional city in "A New Faith". One of the key reasons behind that is the overall resources required to support a meat-heavy diet are massively greater than a plant-based diet.

For interesting facts about food, please see -
ourworldindata.org/land-use-di

Our World in DataIf the world adopted a plant-based diet, we would reduce global agricultural land use from 4 to 1 billion hectaresWe could reduce the amount of land used for grazing and croplands used to grow animal feed.

#Écologie 🌱 Des sinistrés climatiques veulent attaquer l’État pour insuffisance en matière d’adaptation

Quatorze victimes d’aléas climatiques et associations entament ce 8 avril un recours en justice contre l’État, l’accusant de ne pas assez les protéger contre le réchauffement planétaire. La plainte cible particulièrement le plan national d’#adaptation au #ChangementClimatique présenté par la ministre de l’écologie en mars dernier.

mediapart.fr/journal/ecologie/

"The long arc of the future always rewards the resilient!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

It is what it is. We are where we are. This moment in 2025 feels like a bad dream to many, and the assault on the global economy was a tipping point for many worldwide. With that in mind, I'm devoting the next few weeks of my Daily Inspiration to addressing a key question: How do we lead through uncertainty. How do we lead ourselves - what's our mindset? How do we lead others - how can we help? How do we lead our organizations - how do we keep moving forward? I spent a lot of time on this theme during and after the downturns of 2001, 2008 and again during 2020. There is a lot to revisit, and a lot to think about. The theme is 'resilience,' and we can all learn more about. 

We’re living through an era where it feels like the very idea of progress is under siege.

Science is questioned. Facts are ignored. Bold ideas are met with backlash. Funding is cut. In parts of the world—especially in the U.S.—there’s a growing, dangerous desire to rewind the clock. It’s an effort to return to some imaginary "better time," rather than confronting the future with the courage and creativity it demands.

And yet—despite it all—the future hasn’t stopped moving forward.

You can delay progress. You can defund it. You can deny it. You can hammer it with ill-advised or even idiotic decisions.But you can’t delete it.

Never forget that fact, and act accordingly.

Don't give in. Don't give up. Don't give way.

The long arc of innovation always bends forward. History is clear on this: the future always finds a way.

It’s tempting, especially now, to be disillusioned. To believe the cynics are winning. To think progress is on pause. It's easy to let fear strike us every day, stunning us into frozen disbelief.

But don’t confuse noise for momentum. The future doesn’t follow headlines. It follows courage, capital, and conviction. And all three are still alive and well—albeit a bit battered and bruised. But they are still there.

As a futurist, I’ve always said the future belongs to those who are fast. But today, I’d add this: it also belongs to those who refuse to flinch.

If some people want to step back from the future—that’s their choice.

You? Step forward. The future is still yours— ours— to build.

----

Futurist Jim Carroll gets up every morning, checking the headlines, seeking the answer to the same question. You know what it is.

**#Resilience** **#Future** **#Innovation** **#Progress** **#Leadership** **#Uncertainty** **#Optimism** **#Courage** **#Mindset** **#Adaptation**

Original post: jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decodin