Setting goals amid uncertainty

Graphic of roads criss-crossing and directional signs pointing in wild directionsHow can we set goals when everything seems to be changing from one week – one day! – to the next?

One minute we’re all ready to head back to the office (at least some of the time), and the next minute we have a new covid variant and a whole new set of questions to answer.

Reality can be harsh. And the reality these days is that we don’t know what’s going to happen.

News flash: that was always the reality. Yes, things “back then” were a tad more stable than they are today – until they weren’t, eh?

What direction do you want your company to be heading in?

What has to happen in order to stay aligned with that direction?

What conditions need to be in place, what projects need to be undertaken, what resources do you need?

And how can you set all of that in progress in the most flexible, resilient way possible?

We are not – I repeat, we are not – going “back” to what was.

We do not know what’s around the next corner.

Flexibility and resilience have always been essential. It’s just that it used to be possible to get away with being more rigid and controlled (controlling? ahem!) than we can now. No more.

It’s unnerving and uncertain, for sure.

But as someone wisely commented on one of my LinkedIn posts, “Goals can be adjusted, but only if you have them in the first place.”

How are you approaching goal-setting in this time of endless uncertainty?


I’ve taught a strategic planning workshop for individuals and organizations many times over the years. I’d love to bring it to your group. If you’d like to learn more about how to set goals that include the necessary flexibility, let’s talk.