The Cost of Waiting: Why Now Is the Time to Grow

When uncertainty rises, growth is often the first thing to go. Budgets tighten. Plans shift. Priorities pile up. And we tell ourselves we’ll invest in our development, our team, or our business once the:

√ Dust settles.

√ Next hire is on board.

√ Quarter ends.

√ Market stabilizes.

But here’s the problem. Waiting feels safe, but it comes with a cost that’s often higher than we realize. It quietly erodes momentum, clarity, and confidence—both in ourselves and in those we lead.

The Trap of “Later”

Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack vision. They struggle because they keep postponing the very things that would move them forward.

“I’ll start coaching after this quarter.”

“We’ll focus on team development once we hire.”

“We’ll revisit strategy when things calm down.”

But calm is often months or years away.

Momentum doesn’t just disappear. It drifts when vision isn’t reinforced. As I shared in a previous post on leading through disruption, even bold ideas stall when people can’t see how they connect to the work. Growth keeps that connection alive.

According to McKinsey’s 2023 State of Organizations report, companies that prioritize leadership development during times of disruption were 2.4 times more likely to outperform their peers financially (source). That’s not a coincidence. Investment in people drives innovation, agility, and long-term results.

Waiting may feel responsible. But it’s actually riskier than you think.

Growth Is the Strategy

Growth can feel like a luxury when you’re trying to stay afloat. But in my experience, it’s the lifeline.

When I’ve chosen to invest in myself, especially when I didn’t feel ready, I gained clarity, momentum, and the confidence to lead through uncertainty. I also:

• Made better decisions
• Communicated more effectively
• Showed up differently

And that translated into tangible results for my clients.

I’ve seen the same with teams. Even small investments, such as a book club, a feedback session, or a mini-workshop, can shift morale and spark new energy.

And when leaders invest in their business, whether through process improvements, strategic coaching, or rethinking customer experience, they create stability and strength for what’s ahead.

The Hidden Costs of Holding Back

Here’s what I’ve seen happen when leaders wait too long to invest in growth:

• Decision fatigue sets in. Without reflection or input, leaders burn out.
• Teams disengage. When people don’t see development opportunities, their motivation tends to slip.
• Opportunities are unrealized. While you’re pausing, someone else is building.
• Confidence declines. The longer we delay, the more we doubt ourselves. We don’t just pause; we shrink.

That is how growth gets sidelined, not with a loud decision, but with a quiet drift toward survival mode.

I’m not sharing just theory. I’ve seen what happens when a leader chooses growth, even in the middle of a crisis.

A client of mine, a nonprofit director, came to me mid-crisis—burned out, down a team member, and hesitant to invest in herself or her staff. Her instinct was to pause all development until things stabilized.

But instead of waiting, she chose one small step. She booked three coaching sessions for herself and a team strengths workshop that fit within her tight budget.

That month, something shifted.

She regained clarity. Her team reconnected around the organization’s purpose. New ideas surfaced, not because they had more time or resources, but because they were more aligned and engaged. Within 90 days, they had stabilized their operations, increased donor engagement, and uncovered new capacity without additional hires.

It didn’t take a massive overhaul. It only took one leader’s decision to move forward with focus, rather than shrink back in fear.

What Growth Can Look Like Today

You don’t need to overhaul your business or life to move forward. But you do need to take a step.

Here are a few ways leaders I work with are investing in growth right now, even with limited time and resources:

• A single coaching or mentoring session to unlock clarity.
• A shared book or peer learning to build team skills.
• Intentional feedback to support leadership development.
• One hour a week to think strategically.
• A values-based budgeting session to align spending with priorities.

Low-cost efforts like these can be catalytic for you and your team.

You Don’t Need Perfect Conditions

I know how heavy the pressure can feel when you’re leading through uncertainty. Every investment feels weightier. Every decision carries more complexity.

But you don’t need perfect conditions to move forward. You need clarity. You need courage. And you need one small, intentional step.

Growth begins with a mindset shift: choosing to lead on purpose, even when the road ahead is unclear. So if you’ve been waiting for the numbers to make more sense, for the calendar to open up, or for the pressure to ease, I want to challenge you gently:

What if the clarity you’re waiting for is on the other side of the step you’re avoiding?

Not recklessly.

Not reactively.

But intentionally.

With purpose.

Because your growth, your team, and your business don’t stop when uncertainty arises.

But they do need a different kind of leadership.

What’s one small step you’ve been putting off that could reignite momentum for you or your team?