Are You a Disruption-Proof Executive?

Most leaders today say they’re open to change. But when disruption actually hits—through market volatility, organizational restructuring, technological shifts, or rising team tension—the cracks start to show.

Take our client David, a Senior Vice President at a global tech company. When a major internal reorganization was announced alongside a shifting product roadmap, many of his peers scrambled—overloading their teams with new initiatives, retreating into isolated decision-making, and defaulting to short-term thinking. David took a different approach. He paused. He brought his core leadership team together to realign on priorities, got clear on what could be paused or dropped, and led with direct, transparent communication—even when he didn’t have all the answers.

Within 45 days, David’s team emerged as the most stable and high-performing in the division. Morale held steady, burnout decreased, and innovation picked up speed. Not because things got easier—but because his people trusted the way he led through the disruption.

David isn’t fearless. He’s practiced. He’s built the muscles that disruption requires—clear thinking under pressure, meaningful relationships, and a bias toward clarity over control.

And he’s not alone. According to a 2023 McKinsey report, only 36% of executives feel confident leading through prolonged uncertainty—yet nearly all of them are experiencing it. This gap between challenge and capability is no longer a niche leadership issue—it’s a systemic risk.

Disruption-proof executives don’t avoid pressure. They develop the internal and external capacities to lead through it. Their teams aren't spared from volatility, but they’re equipped to respond with purpose, cohesion, and creativity.

So what does that kind of leadership actually look like? These five traits show up again and again in the leaders who thrive through disruption—and every one of them can be practiced.

1. They don’t wait for certainty to lead.

Waiting for the perfect data, the full plan, or total alignment is often a mask for fear. Disruption-proof executives understand that clarity is often a byproduct of action, not a prerequisite.

They take thoughtful steps forward while being transparent about what’s still unclear. This builds trust—even amid ambiguity.

Reflection: Where might your desire for certainty be slowing down your leadership?

2. They invest in relationships before they need them.

During disruption, people don’t follow titles—they follow trust. Executives who only engage with stakeholders when things fall apart often find themselves isolated or met with resistance.

Disruption-proof leaders proactively cultivate credibility and connection across teams, peers, and partners. That relational equity becomes a stabilizing force when change hits.

Reflection: Who are you building trust with now, not because you need to—but because it matters?

3. They regulate their nervous systems before reacting.

Disruption floods the system—biologically and organizationally. Research shows that under uncertainty, the brain’s threat response hijacks executive function, making reactive decisions more likely.

Disruption-proof leaders pause. They ground themselves before they speak or act. Whether that’s through breath, movement, stillness, or self-inquiry—they know clarity starts internally.

Reflection: What helps you shift from reactivity to response in moments of pressure?

4. They stay anchored to long-term vision without denying short-term realities.

There’s a myth that agility means tossing out the plan every time a curveball hits. In truth, agility is the ability to adapt without abandoning what matters most.

Disruption-proof executives revisit purpose often—and make small but real pivots without sacrificing core values.

Reflection: Are you holding tight to what matters and letting go of what doesn’t?

5. They build cultures where discomfort isn’t avoided, but metabolized.

Disruption often reveals more than it creates: latent tensions, outdated systems, and unspoken fears come to the surface. Disruption-proof leaders don’t silence discomfort—they make it speak.

They normalize hard conversations. They build psychological safety and accountability. They know that metabolized discomfort becomes forward momentum.

Reflection: How are you helping your team face discomfort with clarity and courage?

Becoming disruption-proof isn’t about mastering chaos. It’s about developing the mindset, habits, and relational skills to move through it with confidence and purpose.

Want a clearer picture of your disruption-readiness?

Book a Disruption Leadership Audit with our team and receive personalized insights and strategies for your context.

Let’s make your leadership a stabilizing force—no matter the storm.

Author

Athena Williams, Founder and CEO of Tenacious Leadership Institute, has been supporting leaders worldwide to become more tenacious for over 20 years. She has found that tenacity is the key to sustained leadership success in today’s ever-changing world. Through her coaching and leadership development programs, she helps leaders expertly handle change, complexity and other challenges so they can quickly get better results for themselves, their teams and their organizations.

Take the first step to becoming a tenacious leader by scheduling a call with us.