Get a personalized walkthrough of ThriveNumber™ from a member of our team.
.svg)
A fervent believer in the promise of human powered growth, Russ leads CMG in partnering with companies to help them become aligned, agile, customer-driven enterprises that unleash the potential of their organizations with sustainable improvements in focus, teams, culture, and process our clients.
Mark leads CMG in partnering with Telecom companies to help them increase customers and accelerate revenue. His 25+ years of experience in growth, strategy and execution includes B2C and B2B multi-channel acquisition programs, customer experiences that surprise and delight, pricing that optimizes customer value, and innovative product development.
Blog by Gary Lancina
In leadership circles recently, I've noticed a concerning shift. What once was confined to Sunday evenings—that familiar knot of anxiety about the upcoming workweek—has expanded its territory. The "Sunday Scaries" have evolved into what many are experiencing as the "Daily Dreads": a persistent undercurrent of worry that doesn't respect the boundaries of the workweek.
If you feel more anxious and distracted at work lately, you're far from alone. In conversation after conversation with clients and colleagues across industries, I'm hearing the same refrain: 2025 has ushered in an extraordinary level of volatility.
The economic landscape seems to shift beneath our feet daily. Federal trade policies change direction with little warning. New tariffs appear overnight. Funding cuts force rapid strategic pivots. Layoffs—even at seemingly stable organizations—have become commonplace. Meanwhile, foreign policy shifts are destabilizing traditional alliances, impacting customer attitudes and choices across categories.
The world that once felt relatively predictable now feels slippery and slanted. In today’s climate, unsure footing has become the rule rather than the exception.
This isn't just anecdotal. Research confirms that economic uncertainty is a major contributor to workplace anxiety. A 2024 Fast Company article noted that 81% of Americans reported experiencing the "Sunday Scaries," with economic concerns topping the list of triggers. For many, financial worries have intensified as markets react to increasingly fluid, unpredictable global and domestic conditions.
The psychological toll is real. When stability feels out of reach, our brains remain in a heightened state of alert—scanning for threats, preparing for worst-case scenarios, and struggling to focus on the task at hand. This constant vigilance exhausts our mental resources and diminishes our capacity for creative problem-solving—exactly the skills most needed during turbulent times.
So, how do we lead effectively when the ground won't stop shifting beneath us? How do we guide our teams when even the navigators feel unmoored?
There's no magic solution to instantly dispel all anxiety. However, there are pragmatic steps we can take to create islands of stability amid the chaos:
In times of uncertainty, clarity becomes currency. Be exceptionally clear about what you and your team are trying to accomplish. When the external environment feels chaotic, a well-defined purpose provides a steadying momentum.
This means revisiting and simplifying priorities regularly. What are the three most important outcomes your team needs to deliver this quarter? How do daily activities align with those outcomes? Clear connections between effort and purpose help teams stay focused and grounded.
The instinct during uncertain times is often to project unwavering confidence. But suppressing our own concerns doesn't eliminate them—it only buries them deeper.
Instead, model appropriate transparency. This doesn't mean unburdening all your worries onto team members. Instead, acknowledge the reality of the situation while reinforcing what’s still within the team’s control.
When a leader says, "Yes, these market conditions are genuinely challenging, and here's how we're thinking about navigating them," it builds trust. That kind of transparency fosters a sense of shared purpose far more motivating than forced optimism.
When the big picture feels overwhelming, break goals into smaller, achievable milestones. Each small win helps rebuild confidence and creates momentum.
One leader I work with has implemented "Focus Fridays"—protected time for teams to make tangible progress on priority projects without meetings or interruptions. These windows of focused execution have become vital anchors of accomplishment in otherwise turbulent weeks.
As long-time leadership coach Tanya Jaklis recently posted a simple, powerful question during a discussion on workplace anxiety: "What one small shift would create the biggest relief or impact for you right now?"
It's a deceptively simple question—and one that often reveals where to begin. Whether it’s establishing clearer decision rights in your team, creating more structured communication rhythms, or simply building in more reflection time between meetings, identifying just one small shift can spark meaningful change.
Like meditation on an individual basis, building organizational practices grounded in humility, transparency, and shared purpose can offer teams a better sense of control and stability.
At CMG, we work daily with clients to enhance alignment, foster trust, and elevate execution. Many of our client partners are grappling with constant change and heightened competition—and now, the added unpredictability that 2025 has delivered.
As we engage with leaders across industries, we reinforce that uncertainty in the external environment cannot be eliminated. But it is still possible to build cultures in which people feel safe expressing their concerns, are clear about their direction, and feel supported by others navigating the same challenging waters.
The Daily Dreads may be here to stay—for now. But through intentional leadership, we can keep them from overwhelming us or undermining our teams’ effectiveness.
What small shift would create the biggest impact for you and your team right now? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
