The Danger of Drifting: Why Businesses Fail in Volatile Times

The Business Emergency Room: For Leaders Facing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity (VUCA)

Waiting out the chaos might feel safe, but in business, standing still during a storm is often the fastest way to lose your course entirely.

When a crisis hits, why do so many leaders freeze? What makes waiting feel safer than steering, even when we know the storm won’t pass anytime soon?

In this episode, Maartje van Krieken digs into what happens when leadership inertia during uncertainty takes hold and how it quietly erodes momentum, clarity, and confidence. Drawing from her experience as a skipper, she shows how business leaders often hope for conditions to improve on their own. But storms don’t wait, and neither should you.

You’ll hear a grounded, relatable take on business decision-making in crisis, with ideas for taking action even when the path ahead isn’t clear. From building a culture of timely decisions to creating space for real cross-functional collaboration, Maartje offers a toolkit for navigating business volatility without drifting off course.

If your team feels stuck or overloaded, this episode will help you reset your approach and remind you that steering through uncertainty starts with the courage to move.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why Inaction in Crisis Puts Your Business at Risk

03:01 Leadership Inertia During Uncertainty

05:09 The Hidden Costs of Waiting

09:18 Business Decision-Making in Crisis

11:50 Navigating Business Volatility with Situational Awareness

20:27 When to Call in Outside Support

Links

Connect with Maartje van Krieken:

https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/

https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm