How to Navigate a Tumultuous and Generative 2025: Be Ready! (#1 Strategy for 2025)

What are your predictions for 2025? It’s human nature to want to know what is next and what the future has in store for each of us. The dawn of the new year has me deep in thought on this very topic, both personally and professionally. Amid the political chaos and transition of power, now is the time to dig deep and navigate the impending uncertainty with an acute alertness, ready stance, and resilient optimism. Be alert. Be ready. Be vigilant. And most importantly: behave the way you want to see other leaders behave and be a model for your peers and direct reports. In past LinkedIn articles I have referenced disruption and change, and this coming year we’re in for a peaking dynamic of evolutionary and sometimes seemingly paradoxical movements. During this time, never forget that you have the choice to disengage, create healthy boundaries, invest time and energy into what you want more of in your life and work, and lead your organization in a measured way that is human-centered and full of integrity.?

This year will challenge you as a leader — both in your broader life and in your organization — to embrace reality as it is and make the most of the year ahead.?But how do you do this?? Throughout this year I will lay some groundwork and offer a set of tangible strategies to support you in effectively navigating your own career and your organization’s path for what’s ahead. I will focus on one strategy each month that has immensely helped me in my own career and in my coaching sessions with clients. No matter who you are, where you live, or the role you play in your organization, these strategies will help you navigate the year ahead. So don’t close your eyes and hope it passes quickly. Be ready for anything and what’s to come.

Strategy #1: Be in the Ready Position Every Day

What do I mean when I say be ready? Think of it as gearing up for game day every day. Athletes bring their A-game to each game. They are alert and always ready to go. An analogy I frequently bring into my coaching sessions is that of the athlete who is ready to spring in any direction depending on what move they need to make. Think of the GOAT, such as professional tennis player Novak Djokovic, ready to receive a 120 MPH serve.?At the foundation of this strategy is a situational readiness and a preparedness for anything and everything akin to standing in an athletic “be ready” stance.

For the daily work you do, consider:

1. What does your mental state need to be??

2. What kind of physical shape do you need to be in??

3. How can you stay aware of what’s ahead of you to be best prepared?

What Exactly is the “Be Ready” Stance?

The “Be Ready” stance is an athletic stance used across the board in sports. It’s all about being emotionally, mentally, and physically positioned, with your eyes wide open, alertly scanning.?In this posture, you are prepared to spring into action. Your feet may be positioned a little bit wider apart than usual, with some springy bend in your knees, and the weight of your feet shifted a little bit forward. Your elbows are bent and your arms out to the sides, ready to balance you, but also able to work for you and respond to the guidance of your brain or muscle memory at any given moment. Your mind is alive with anticipation and your energy is ready so you can either allow what’s “out of bounds” to pass by you easily or be ready to spring into action when the moment requires. Some of my clients literally take this stance on calls at their standing desks, which allows them to be alert, access their physical power center in the core, and leverage all their creative, emotional, and intuitive centers of intelligence.?This position encourages full attention, focus, and power.

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With this “Be Ready” stance in mind, take it a step further:

Let’s take the “Be Ready” stance one step further and apply it to your everyday work world. I often ask my coaching clients to think about the following questions so that they can come up with a “be ready” state of mind. I encourage you to ask yourself these same questions and get intentional with your mindset.

1.???? What is your required work mindset??

2.???? What emotions will serve you and which emotions will get in your way??

3.???? How will you manage distractions in your physical environment and technology environment??

4.???? How will you navigate around others who do?not?have the “be ready” mindset? (Think of those who are caught off-balance, maybe even shouting out in surprise, or even metaphorically falling all around you.)

5.???? What advance preparation do you need to do the day or night before to wake up ready?

Utilizing this strategy leads to all systems go! Are you ready to level up and get your head in the game? Click here to schedule a call with me to help you get into the “Be Ready” Stance for 2025. Be alert and ready so you can navigate the year with clarity and a dynamic quality of leadership that enables you to float above the chaos at times and engage constructively with grounded discernment at others.

In partnership as you rise,

Erin

Erin Owen, MBA, MCC (she/her/hers)

Executive and Leadership Coach

Website: https://erinowen.com

LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/erinowen/