25 Feb CEO Insights: 4 Tips for Leading in Uncertain Times

If there’s one thing we can say about 2025, it’s that you never know what’s going to be around the next corner. Every day it seems there’s a new challenge to navigate – from tariffs to changing regulations – as industry members try to figure out the best course for their businesses.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not always excited about change. Change means uncertainty. It means having to do things differently. Sometimes it means things will cost more.

But change doesn’t have to be something we dread. We can navigate change with peace and grace and lead our organizations without fear – even in the face of uncertainty.

4 Tips for Leading in Uncertain Times

1. Stay informed but don’t overwhelm yourself.

You can’t know everything, and in this era where it seems things can change by the hour, you shouldn’t try. Focus on the issues that have the most impact on your business then find trusted sources for your news, making sure you get both sides of the issues.

2. Focus on what you can know and not on what you can’t.

None of us have a crystal ball that lets us see perfectly into the future. However, we do have access to data and news that can inform our decision-making. Using known data from our own businesses, government sources, and BEMA Intel can help inform future decision-making. Focusing on what you do know limits some of the frustration that comes with what you don’t.

3. Seek out other industry members.

We’re all in this together, and it’s important that we’re talking to each other. The baking industry has always been a welcoming community. Find other industry members who are facing some of the same challenges and brainstorm strategies to deal with the changes. Two heads (and more) are definitely better than one.

4. Explore new ideas.

Some of the world’s greatest ideas have come out of times when massive change was happening because it is often change that creates a new need. We’ve actually been watching this happen in real time with the advent of artificial intelligence. Think about how many new ideas have come to fruition because of the way industries have begun incorporating AI. When we look at change as an opportunity to explore new ideas and new ways of doing things, it becomes a positive instead of a negative.

Changing Together

As I have explored this idea of how to navigate change, the one thing that has stood out the most to me is the need to work together to understand and embrace the changes around us. Even though we may not all see the changes affecting the industry in the same way, we can learn from each other. Different perspectives are important to create new ideas and processes and to figure out how to best advocate for the baking industry.

To put this idea into practice, I’d love to offer more round-table style sessions at our industry events to create a time and place to share ideas and perspectives. These sessions would be about coming together as a community to identify the biggest challenges and possible solutions facing our industry today. If you’re interested in being a part of one of these sessions, I’d love to hear from you! Reach out to me directly at kbrown@bema.org.

Change doesn’t have to be alarming or frustrating. When we stay informed and focused and rely on the community around us, we can use change as a springboard to a better tomorrow for the baking industry.

Cheers,
Kerwin