"It’s difficult to take on difficult decisions - but it becomes infinitely more difficult if you do not! - Futurist Jim Carroll
Hard decisions get harder when you wait.
Particularly when uncertainty rules and volatility rages.
Have you noticed the signals coming out that in the US, people aren't thinking that the economy is as rosy as they thought? Strip away the massive AI capital spending, and you've got a dismal picture of layoffs, tariffs, a cutback in spending and investment, and a general malaise. Welcome back, Jimmy Carter!
My wife and I were talking yesterday about this in the context of what we see in the speaking business. Not a day goes by that a speaker bureau owner or agent posts about trends they see in the industry - a slowdown in bookings, client indecision, shortened lead times. Want a good example? Read this post by **Dogan Altindag** Altinda, "The New Urgency": How the Keynote Speaker Market Is Transforming" - it's over on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-urgency-how-keynote-speaker-market-transforming-dogan-altindag-sph1e/
One of the key findings? What was once 6-12 months is now 1-3 months, with 45% of keynote speakers booked with less than three months' notice, driven by economic caution and volatility.
I'm certainly seeing it - and one of the reasons why is because my topics often take on difficult topics: business model disruption, technological acceleration, the rapid emergence of new competitors, generational change, and more. I'm usually brought in by the CEO or senior executive of an organization to open a corporate offsite meeting or event, to set the stage for the difficult decisions that will be covered in the next day or two.
And quite simply, organizations are not taking on those difficult decisions - they are treading water, waiting and watching, waiting for some sort of major event to set the world on a more even path going forward.
And the fact is, the longer organizations wait, the tougher the future will be to navigate.
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Futurist Jim Carroll believes that indecision is the cardinal sin of failed leadership.
**#Decisions** **#Action** **#Timing** **#Uncertainty** **#Leadership** **#Paralysis** **#Momentum** **#Strategy** **#Adaptation** **#Courage**
https://jimcarroll.com/2025/11/decoding-tomorrow-daily-inspiration-its-difficult-to-take-on-difficult-decisions-but-it-becomes-infinitely-more-difficult-if-you-do-not/