Given current economic uncertainties, CEO’s are being forced to take a wait-and-see approach before making big business decisions. But letting employees fall idle can cause morale to dip and any remaining productivity to wane. One way to rebuild energy is to give people a sense of purpose and agency. Thoughtful leaders can do things during these quieter seasons that make space for strategic thinking and innovation. Not flashy or forced innovation. But quiet, purposeful attention to what may be next.
Here are a few small, practical ways CEOs and executive teams can keep innovation alive when things feel uncertain:
Make Time for Strategic Reflection
When the pace slows down, there’s a rare window to step back.
Blocking a few hours each month—solo or with your senior team—for open reflection can be grounding. Not to chase the next big thing, but to ask better questions:
- What are we doing by default that might need a reset?
- What are our customers beginning to ask for?
- What does “value” look like now?
- Where are new opportunities quietly emerging?
A bit of spacious thinking now can seed smarter moves later.
Invite Quiet Cross-Team Dialogue
Sometimes the best ideas come from the places you least expect it. Hosting a simple, low-stakes conversation across departments—no decks, no pressure—can bring useful patterns to light.
Prompt with something like: “What’s a small change that would make a big difference to our customers—or to our own people?” There’s no need for action items. The point is to keep the channels open.
Revisit What’s Been Set Aside
Most companies have paused projects or old ideas collecting dust. Now might be a good time to take a second look.
Not everything deserves a comeback. But a few ideas may be worth reviving with a fresh lens—especially as conditions shift.
Encourage Low-Risk Experimentation
You don’t need major investments to test new thinking. Allowing a few teams to run small, scrappy experiments—an internal fix, a pilot feature, a customer tweak—can spark momentum. Scarcity—of budget, demand, or time—often leads to scrappier, more focused innovation.
When teams can’t rely on “more,” they start to rethink how to do better with less. Some of the most enduring product improvements, process efficiencies, and customer insights are born from this kind of pressure.
Set clear boundaries, but give people the space to learn. Even small tests can create energy and reveal new paths forward.
Stay Curious (and Let People See That)
One of the most meaningful signals a CEO can send is that curiosity is still welcome. When leaders model calm, measured curiosity—even in uncertainty—it gives others permission to do the same.
This isn’t about false positivity. It’s about making room for learning, creativity, and dialogue in a time when it’s easy to shut those things down.
What You Signal Now Shapes What Comes Next
When leaders focus only on survival, that message trickles down: “Just hang on.” But when leaders stay curious, open, and future-oriented, they signal something else: “We’re not done. We’re still building. Let’s shape what comes next.”
That signal matters—for culture, for customers, and for long-term growth.
In Closing
When things are busy, innovation is reactive. When things slow down, you can choose to make it intentional.
It doesn’t require grand moves—just steady, visible attention to learning and thinking. The companies that do this well don’t just ride out the storm. They quietly build the foundation for what’s next.
For tips on dealing with employees who aren’t OK during these difficult times check out Innovation in a Time of Stress: What Companies Can Do When Employees Aren’t OK.
Want to talk about setting up programs like these for your organization let’s connect! Contact
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