Why perspective means power in times of uncertainty

The northern Namibian sun beat down with a dry, relentless intensity as I unlocked the rusted gate to my new office, a small cement building with no air conditioning, patchy electricity and a dusty desk waiting for me inside. Just months earlier, I had stood on stage under bright lights in front of executive teams, helping them strategize their next big move. Now, I was stepping over goats on the way to work, trying to learn greetings in a tribal language I had only just begun to understand.

In August 2024, my husband and I joined the U.S. Peace Corps to serve for 27 months. We left everything familiar behind — our two sons in college, our friends, our businesses, even our dogs. We sold our house, our cars and nearly everything we owned and packed the rest into a 10 x 10 storage unit. It wasn’t just a career break. It was a total life reset.

The road outside our house isn’t paved, and the water and WiFi only sometimes work. Yet, in this new rhythm of slow connection and daily unpredictability, I began to see what so many leaders miss in times of uncertainty — perspective, not control, is the real power.

From control to connection

The pressure I thought I was leaving behind didn’t disappear. It just changed form. In the process, it has reshaped how I lead, how I listen, and how I live.

Before Namibia, I was seen as an expert at thriving in chaos. My life was full of agendas, keynote stages, teenage schedules and a steady stream of urgency. But here, none of that matters.

My influence isn’t backed by a title or budget. It’s slowly being built through presence, patience and consistently showing up in unfamiliar spaces.

We are all being called to lead without our usual tools right now, and leaders everywhere are facing uncertainty: changing policies, disconnected teams, economic pressures, family concerns and the emotional toll of change. As for me, I find myself sitting under trees with elders instead of across boardroom tables. I walk door-to-door in the heat to invite neighbors to training events.

I have learned that leadership right now isn’t about how informed or knowledgeable your voice is. It’s about how well you listen and try to understand. We are being asked to trade control for connection.

From metrics to meaning

Back home, success is easy to measure: revenue, growth and booked-out schedules. But now, it looks like a teenage girl who finds her confidence and her voice in front of her peers. Or a local government staff member who finally understands how to use a spreadsheet because someone slowed down enough to teach him. I used to value speed and scale. Now, I value depth and presence.

The entrepreneurs I have met here run thriving businesses made of almost nothing — handmade baby carriers, fresh vegetables grown in dry soil, car washes in a place without running water.

No MBAs. No loans. No internet. Just grit and ingenuity.

These entrepreneurs reminded me that the most effective leadership is grounded in purpose, guided by performance and proven through relationships. How are we making it easier for others to step in, step up and believe they, too, belong in the vision?

From urgency to usefulness

And perhaps most importantly, I have come to believe that clarity equals security. In a world that often feels loud, fast and unclear, one of the greatest gifts a leader can offer is clarity. When things around us feel uncertain, we instinctively search for something steady, something that makes sense.

We may not be able to remove the chaos, but we can create moments of clarity for ourselves. And once we feel grounded, that clarity becomes a useful gift we can offer to others.

A new lens for leadership

As I progress in my Peace Corps assignment, I consider these 3 actions for leading in times like these:

• Reset – Step out of default mode and realign with what truly matters.
• Reconnect – Build real relationships with people, purpose and presence.
• Refocus – Lead with intentionality instead of reaction.

This isn’t a story about giving it all up. It’s a story about looking at it all differently. When we shift how we see the world, we begin to shift how we show up in it and what we can offer.

That’s where the power is.

Leadership isn’t just a strategy. It’s a service — a choice to bring clarity instead of confusion, presence instead of panic. And when we lead from that place, with perspective and intention, we offer others the steadiness they’re craving, not just as team members but as people.

Because in the same way the desert sun forces me to slow down and pay attention, uncertain times invite us all to lead with clarity, grounded in the power of perspective.

Want to learn more? Then check out Corinne’s discussion, The Power of Perspective in Uncertain Times. The discussion includes a Q&A session with Vistage Master Chair Sarah Gibson. 

Related Resources

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Executive presence: The relationship that builds trust

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