Leading When the Fog Rolls In
In this SmartBrief on Leadership feature, Pete examines what happens when uncertainty settles into an organization—and why people managers feel it first.
They're the frontline interpreters, absorbing confusion while being expected to provide clarity. Caught between what their people need and what the job demands, they carry pressure on both shoulders.
The Fog That Creeps
The Fog isn't always a crisis or pivot point. More often it creeps in quietly: shifting priorities, competing strategies, restructuring, turnover, burnout hiding behind "I'm good."
The mood shifts. Energy zaps. People hesitate. Decisions that used to feel obvious suddenly feel heavier. Even high performers start second-guessing themselves.
A Different Approach
The answer isn't eliminating uncertainty. It's learning to navigate it.
Pete explores how managers can shift from protecting teams from discomfort to building their confidence to navigate it. How to recognize leadership as an act rather than a role, valuing truth-telling over hierarchy. How to keep teams moving through learning rather than waiting for complete information before acting.
The core insight: employees don't expect perfection from their managers. They expect honesty. "I don't know yet, but we'll find our way through this together" builds more engagement than any single right answer.
Organizations that successfully navigate the years ahead will be those with managers skilled at navigating ambiguity and teams confident enough to keep moving when certainty disappears.
Leadership isn't about eliminating the Fog. It's about learning to lead through it.
Originally published in SmartBrief on Leadership, January 30, 2026
Pete Behrens | Leadership Insights
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