I’ve led in some of the most uncertain, high-stakes environments imaginable – operating 400 feet below the surface on a billion-dollar nuclear submarine. And I’ve learned that turbulent times don’t just reveal the strength of your strategy. They reveal the strength of your leadership system.
Whether underwater or in a boardroom, the principles remain the same.
Here are the five things leaders should focus on every single day to lead teams that stay aligned, resilient, and ready for anything.
1. Connect Everyone to the Mission
Before any mission begins, make sure every single person understands why they’re doing what they’re doing. Not just the executives. Everyone.
I’ve seen firsthand how dangerous it is when people are disconnected from the bigger picture. You get burnout, confusion, and hesitation. You also miss out on one of the most powerful forces in leadership: intrinsic motivation.
According to PwC, only 28% of employees feel connected to their company’s purpose. That’s a leadership failure. It’s our job to bridge that gap.
Purpose drives clarity. Clarity drives speed. And speed wins in turbulent times.
2. Train People to Make Confident Decisions
When leading submarine crews, you don’t have time to approve every decision. Our team needed to assess situations, trust their training, and act, even when things weren’t 100% clear.
Business isn’t all that different.
If your team is waiting for permission, you’re already behind. You have to train your people not just in what to do, but how to think. Teach them how to make sound decisions under pressure, with incomplete information. Let them practice in real-world scenarios.
Leadership isn’t about holding the answers. It’s about creating people who can find their own.
3. Shift from Top-Down to All-In
One of the biggest changes I encourage organizations make is breaking out of the old command-and-control model. It’s just too slow for today’s world.
Instead, shift to a matrix-style decision structure. That means empowering teams to swarm around challenges, solve problems collaboratively, and take ownership without waiting for orders.
In submarine operations, this was critical to our survival. In business, it’s just as critical to growth.
You don’t need more control. You need more capability at the edge of your organization.
4. Recognize the Right Behaviors, Immediately
We had a phrase in the submarine force: “Bravo Zulu.” It was a quick way to say, “Well done.” No fanfare. No bonuses. Just simple, timely recognition.
In the business world, we’re terrible at this.
82% of employees say they aren’t recognized enough at work, even though 85% say they want simple verbal recognition.
Recognition doesn’t cost a thing, but it delivers massive returns. It reinforces culture, builds trust, and energizes your team when they need it most.
5. Communicate with Structure and Speed
Clarity saves lives. It also saves time, resources, and morale.
On a submarine, we used structured communication rhythms – daily huddles, briefings, debriefs – because confusion wasn’t an option. The same applies to your team.
Daily touchpoints, weekly syncs, one-on-ones, these aren’t just “nice to have.” They create the agility your team needs to shift in real time without losing focus. Especially when the environment changes faster than your strategy.
The more uncertain the world gets, the more disciplined your communication must become.
This Isn’t a Crisis Playbook. It’s a Daily Discipline.
These five practices aren’t things you pull out only when the storm hits. They’re habits. They’re culture. They’re what I build into teams so they’re ready long before the pressure shows up.
If you want a team that can adapt, align, and accelerate in any environment, this is where you start.
Book Marc Koehler for Your 2025 Leadership Summit
If your team is struggling to stay focused, move fast, or adapt under pressure, I can help.
In my keynote, I bring 35+ years of elite leadership experience to your stage, combining real-world stories with proven systems your leaders can use immediately. It’s not theory. It’s a playbook.
Because in turbulent times, you don’t rise to the challenge. You fall to the level of your systems. Let’s raise that level, together.
Sources
- PwC. (2021). Hopes and Fears Survey
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/hopes-and-fears.html - Gallup. (2023). Employee Recognition: Low Cost, High Impact
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236441/employee-recognition-low-cost-high-impact.aspx - SHRM. (2023). Employee Recognition Survey
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/employee-relations/pages/employee-recognition-survey.aspx