“Blip or New Normal” Virtual Panel Recap
On Sep 19, 2025 we had the honor of talking with Nicole Bestard, Dominique Hernandez, and Caitlin Harper about how to navigate tough "pivot or stay the course" moments when leaders can't tell if they’re dealing with a temporary setback or a permanent shift. It was a wonderful conversation that ranged from blunt reality to hopeful futures! Below is the full video and an AI text summary:
Key Question: Are current challenging times a temporary "blip" or the "new normal" for organizations?
The Panelists Reject the Premise: All four leaders (Caitlin Harper, Dominique Hernandez, Nicole Bestard, and Sara Hashim) agreed there's no such thing as "normal" - change is the only constant. They reframed the discussion around navigating continuous uncertainty rather than waiting for stability.
Core Advice for Leaders
Lead with Values First
Make decisions based on consistent values for your business regardless of external circumstances
Clearly define what values mean to your organization (don't assume a shared understanding)
Use values as your compass when everything else feels uncertain
Pause Before Acting
Resist the pressure to make fast decisions just because things feel urgent
Take time to identify the real problem (not just the symptoms that are causing you to react)
Ask "why" multiple times to get to root issues
Remember: when stressed, your decision-making capacity is literally impaired. Account for this.
Be Strategically Transparent
Define what transparency means for your organization (ideally before an urgent situation arises)
Balance honesty with maintaining team stability. Transparency and team stability can be balanced. Transparency does not always mean sharing everything unequivocally.
Share financial realities so team members can make informed decisions. This can also build trust.
Practice "radical candor" i.e. meaningful direct feedback given with care
Practical Business Guidance
For Financial Pressures:
Identify the actual problem (example: "make payroll this month" vs. vague "need more money")
Maintain long-term vision even when making short-term adjustments
Say no to misaligned opportunities - there's a cost to reactive decisions
For Pivoting Decisions:
Ground decisions in your core purpose, not just your mission statement
Ask: What's the actual point of what you're doing? i.e. what are you really trying to achieve?
Consider starting problem solving from a place of what gives you hope versus what is making you fearful as a leader
Advice For Independent Consultants/Startups (As part of the Q&A):
Start with what you already have (skills, network, resources)
Price based on what you need to make it viable, not just what you think people will pay
Build a financial runway for zero-revenue months
Network authentically through genuine human connection; this means different things for different people.
Hope as a Practical Discipline
The panelists emphasized that hope doesn't have to be naive optimism, it can be a practiced practical discipline involving:
Taking the long view of history and change as a way of pacing yourself through challenging times
Finding what nourishes you personally and allowing it to act as fuel for your work
Creating something meaningful in your immediate sphere and noticing how it may effect you and those around you
Understanding that challenges aren't new - humans have always navigated uncertainty. As a leader, you likely have more inner and outer tools at your disposal than seem obvious at first glance.
Bottom Line
Instead of trying to determine if current challenges are temporary or permanent, focus on building organizational resilience through clear values, thoughtful decision-making processes, and maintaining hope as an active practice in building the future your organization needs.
