Finding Strong Ground in an Uncertain Time

by Peter Callahan, Director of Development, Leadership Greater Hartford

In moments of disruption and uncertainty, leaders often feel pressure to move faster, decide sooner, and project confidence even when clarity is elusive. But the most important leadership questions in times like these are rarely tactical. They are human.

Who am I? What do I want? Who do I want to be, and what truly matters most?

At Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH), we believe these questions are not philosophical luxuries. They are practical necessities. If leaders want the best chance of navigating the accelerating complexity of today’s world, from economic volatility to civic polarization to rapid technological change, we must slow down enough to ask foundational questions that reconnect us to ourselves and to one another.

In our human-centered leadership development programs, we often begin with two deceptively simple prompts: How am I? and What do I need? These are the same questions all living systems must answer to survive and adapt. When leaders are given the psychological safety to answer honestly, the most common first response is, “I don’t know.”

We consider that a strong beginning, not a weakness. Admitting uncertainty requires courage. It signals a willingness to step out of autopilot and create space for reflection, learning, and new possibilities. In a culture that rewards certainty and speed, choosing honesty over performance can feel risky. But it is often the first step toward meaningful leadership.

These themes, courage, uncertainty, values, and grounded leadership, are explored powerfully in Strong Ground, the newest work by Brené Brown. Drawing on decades of research and her work with more than 150,000 leaders across 45 countries, Brown offers a timely reminder: mission-driven impact and wholeheartedness are not competing goals. In fact, they depend on one another.

Brown has spent years working alongside CEOs, public-sector leaders, and nonprofit executives as they navigate technological disruption, geopolitical instability, cultural shifts, and market pressures at a pace the world has never seen. One message comes through clearly. The leadership skills that carried us here will not be sufficient to carry us forward.

“Today’s challenges require leaders who can think systemically, collaborate deeply, and stay connected to their own humanity.”

Today’s challenges require leaders who can think systemically, collaborate deeply, and stay connected to their own humanity. We need leaders who can hold paradox, strength and vulnerability, urgency and reflection, accountability and compassion, without collapsing into false certainty or disengagement. We do not need more leaders who run from the inherent tensions of being human toward tools or technologies that promise control but often deepen disconnection.

At LGH, we see this every day in our work with businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and state agencies across Connecticut. Organizations that thrive amid uncertainty are not those with the flashiest tools or the most sophisticated dashboards. They are the ones that invest in trust, clarity, and connection first. They protect space for honest dialogue, shared purpose, and values-based decision-making.

Strong ground, the kind Brown describes so vividly, is not about rigidity. It is about stability rooted in meaning. It is what allows organizations to withstand turbulence without losing their center, and to adapt quickly without losing their soul. Technology built on dysfunction only amplifies dysfunction, no matter how powerful the code or impressive the algorithm. Human wisdom, when respected and nurtured, remains our most reliable source of resilience.

This spring, LGH is hosting our annual Lessons in Leadership series, grounded in the ideas from Strong Ground. These conversations are designed for leaders across sectors, business, government, nonprofit, and civic life, who recognize that leadership today is less about having answers and more about asking better questions together.

In a moment defined by noise, polarization, and acceleration, choosing to cultivate strong ground may be the most strategic leadership decision we can make.

Leadership Greater Hartford’s Lessons in Leadership series will take place Wednesday mornings in March, offering leaders a facilitated space to explore grounded, human-centered leadership using Brené Brown’s Strong Ground as a guide. Register and learn more here: https://www.leadershipgh.org/events/lessons-in-leadership

Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing, connecting, and inspiring leaders to build inclusive, vibrant communities. For nearly 50 years, LGH has partnered with businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and civic leaders across Connecticut to strengthen leadership capacity, foster collaboration, and support organizations navigating complexity and change through human-centered, values-driven leadership development.

Brené Brown, born Casandra Deanne Rogers, is an American academic, storyteller, and social worker. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and has hosted two award-winning podcasts. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston and a visiting professor in management at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. Her work focuses on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, and she is known for her TEDx talk "The Power of Vulnerability," which is one of the most viewed TED talks. Brown's research and teachings have significantly impacted the fields of social work and psychology, making her a prominent figure in these areas.