---
title: "Lead Through Chaos: Why Leadership is the Only Place to Start"
description: In a volatile economy, leadership misalignment is the biggest risk. Here’s how to fix it before your strategy breaks down.
image: https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/A%20compass%20or%20ship%20steering%20wheel%20on%20a%20ship%20in%20rough%20seas%20%20metaphor%20for%20leadership%20during%20uncertainty-1.jpeg
---
# Lead Through Chaos: Why Leadership is the Only Place to Start
[Chris Scherer
April 7, 2025 ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/author/chris-scherer)
- [TalentOptimization](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/talentoptimization)
- [BusinessStrategy](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/businessstrategy)
- [PredictiveIndex](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/predictiveindex)
- [ExecutiveLeadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/executiveleadership)
- [LeadershipAlignment](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadershipalignment)
- [CXOAccelerator](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/cxoaccelerator)
- [StrategyExecution](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/strategyexecution)
- [EconomicVolatility](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/economicvolatility)
- [BaldrigeFramework](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/baldrigeframework)
- [LeadThroughChange](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadthroughchange)
- 3 mins
*This is the first in a short series on how to lead, strategize, and optimize talent in a volatile economy. Over the coming weeks, we’ll walk through practical ways for business leaders to take control — not just survive, but lead with clarity, purpose, and results.*
---
### The Economic Backdrop: Volatility is the New Normal
The 2025 economy is anything but predictable. New tariffs, geopolitical tension, and a resurgence in protectionist trade policies are reshaping global markets. For U.S. businesses, this means unpredictable costs, supply chain instability, and shifting vendor and customer behavior.
We’re seeing this firsthand in our work with mid-market and large companies: proactive leaders are scrambling to reduce costs and shore up sourcing, while others are caught flat-footed.
But in every case, there’s a pattern:
> **The biggest vulnerability isn’t strategy or execution. It’s misaligned leadership.**
---
### Why Leadership is the Only Place to Start
When uncertainty strikes, most organizations default to operational triage — trimming budgets, pausing projects, renegotiating with suppliers. But these are tactical reactions. They’re only effective if leadership is aligned on *why*, *where*, and *how* to move.
And in too many cases, they aren’t.
We often ask leaders: “Are you 100% aligned on your strategic objectives?” Most say yes. But when we dig into the details — who owns what, how success is defined, what gets prioritized — the alignment isn’t there.
It’s not just a problem. It’s **the** problem.
> According to BCG, transformation efforts where leaders were aligned were **77% more likely to succeed**. Yet 57% of major initiatives still fail to hit targets.
---
### A Simple Solution: The 90-Minute Strategy Alignment Session
To cut through the noise, we offer a **90-minute Strategy Alignment Session** designed to get leadership teams aligned — fast.
In one virtual session, you’ll:
- Get to 100% agreement on your team’s top business objectives
- Understand how your team’s behavioral strengths and blind spots impact execution
- Identify misalignments and address them with clear, actionable recommendations
- Walk away with a shared Work Styles Framework and immediate next steps
You’ll also receive a team-wide PI Behavioral Assessment and a presentation-ready report.
And the best part? **It’s risk-free.** If you're not satisfied, you don’t pay.
### The Bottom Line
In times like these, leadership alignment isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.
If your team isn’t united, nothing else works. Start here. Before you optimize your supply chain, realign your strategy, or launch your next initiative — make sure the people leading it are pulling in the same direction.
---
**Coming Next Week**:
*How economic volatility exposes leadership blind spots — and what to do before they cause real damage.*
### Chris Scherer
Chris is a transformation leader with over 25 years of experience driving significant value and mitigating risks across a broad range of industries and functions. With a track record of generating more than $450 million in savings, he has excelled in both challenging and thriving environments within small businesses, mid-market firms, and Fortune 500 companies. A dual-degree graduate of Thunderbird and ESADE, Chris started his career at Arthur Andersen and progressed through roles from Corporate Audit to Global Human Resources at various Fortune 500 firms. He played a pivotal role in growing AArete, a global management consultancy, where he led initiatives that significantly reduced non-labor costs and improved compliance processes. An advocate for sustainable community initiatives, Chris was a founding member of a nonprofit focused on creating bicycle-friendly communities in New Jersey.
[mailto:chris@cxoaccelerator.com](mailto:chris@cxoaccelerator.com)
## Latest posts
- [ ALL POSTS ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/all)
[ ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/aligned-by-design-business-alignment)
[LeadershipDevelopment](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadershipdevelopment) [BusinessStrategy](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/businessstrategy) [Leadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadership) [OperationalExcellence](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/operationalexcellence) [StrategicPlanning](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/strategicplanning) [OrganizationalAlignment](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/organizationalalignment) [CXOLeadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/cxoleadership)
Jul 6, 2026 3:57:14 PM
### [ Aligned by Design (Part 1): Everyone Knows Their Job. So Why Isn't the Business Aligned? ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/aligned-by-design-business-alignment)
[ ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/hiring-that-works-part-9-what-we-learned-about-predictable-hiring)
[LeadershipDevelopment](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadershipdevelopment) [TalentStrategy](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/talentstrategy) [Leadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/leadership) [ExecutiveLeadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/executiveleadership) [Hiring](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/hiring) [OrganizationalDesign](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/organizationaldesign) [CXOLeadership](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/cxoleadership) [PredictablePerformance](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/tag/predictableperformance)
Jun 29, 2026 4:34:03 PM
### [ Hiring That Works (Part 9): What We Learned About Predictable Hiring ](https://www.cxoaccelerator.com/blog/hiring-that-works-part-9-what-we-learned-about-predictable-hiring)
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