As leaders, we often map our vision years into the future: where we want the firm to go, who we want to take with us, communities we want to serve in the long run, and so on.
But the path to that vision is never a straightforward one. 99.9 times out of 100, you’ll be blindsided by obstacles that’ll force you to renavigate.
I encounter them every quarter. Whether it’s news I didn’t expect or a team member suffering through a crisis that affects us all, roadblocks are a regular and inevitable part of my business. Yet, we’re standing and thriving.
That’s because our preparation isn’t just optimistic. It’s adversarial.
Every day, I run antagonistic drills in my head:
- What if a competitor swooped in?
- What if the economy tanked?
- Inflation spiked?
- Remote work failed?
- Election shifts affected the business?
I play out hundreds of scenarios like this. As masochistic as I may sound, these drills are a must to sharpen my mindset.
I journal these scenarios and script the response. If office traffic drops, pivot marketing strategy. If a rival hires our top producer, double down on culture and retention. If inflation squeezes margins, restructure pricing or cut inefficiencies.
I don’t wait until something breaks. I prepare like a rival plotting our defeat — and you should, too.
Here’s what happens when you think like a rival:
Instead of reacting, you’re responding when an emergency strikes. Each hypothetical becomes a battle-tested tactic ready for deployment. Because of that, you’re rapidly adaptable to changes and sudden obstacles. To your brain, they stop being so new. They’ve been dress-rehearsed and considered, so you get a psychological edge, earned from your pragmatic thinking.
The goal isn’t to obsess over doom and gloom. It’s to lean into intelligent anticipation.
You’re not praying for the best. You’re preparing for the worst, while driving forward with intention.
So next time your vision statement reads something like “grow to X revenue by 2026,” attach a footnote: “Here’s what happens if we lose a top client, hire out of capacity, or misread the market.” Then mentally walk through each crisis. Write it out and build the playbook.
That’s what elite professionals do. They don’t just chase outcomes. They architect them, anticipating disruption before it knocks at the door — and that’s what true leadership should look like.
