Leadership and Decision Taking: Courage in the Midst of Uncertainty

Some time ago, I accompanied a non-profit organisation through the development of a new strategy. The mandate was clear: to support the board and leadership team in shaping a vision and priorities for the coming years. What followed, however, was anything but clear. Instead of progress, we found ourselves circling. Instead of clarity, confusion. Instead of shared direction, frustration.

The reason was not a lack of expertise. The team was motivated, the board committed, and there was no shortage of ideas. The real obstacle was leadership, or, more precisely, the absence of it.

The director was unable to take decisions. Or rather: he/she was

unable to stand by them. Even when a small next step was agreed, he/she would come back days later to revise or undo it, and he/she insisted that I, too, was not allowed to further pursue the direction agreed earlier. This person’s fear of taking the “wrong” decision paralysed the organisation, as well as the strategy process. We all ended up wobbling between topics, timelines, and tasks, without a clear sense of what should be discussed, decided, or pursued. The process lost its meaning.

This experience has stayed with me. It highlighted, in a very tangible way, what leadership is—and what it is not.

Leadership requires courage

At some point, a leader has to decide. Waiting for everyone to agree, or for perfect certainty, is not leadership. It is avoidance. And postponement breeds confusion.

A good decision does not mean that every voice is satisfied. In fact, disagreement is normal and healthy. What matters is that the leader communicates the decision transparently: what reflections led to it, what arguments were weighed, and which perspectives were not adopted, while still acknowledging their validity. This kind of honesty does not eliminate disappointment, but it builds trust. It shows that the process was real, that different positions were heard, and that the leader is ready to take responsibility.

Leadership requires flexibility

Decisions are not forever. Sometimes new information shows that a course of action was misguided. Sometimes circumstances change. Then, the ability to change direction becomes just as important as the ability to set one.

Flexibility, however, is not the same as indecision. It is not about constantly reopening questions out of fear. Flexibility is the willingness to say: “We thought this was the best path. We now know better. Here is why we are changing direction, and here is where we will go from here.” Again, communication and honesty are essential. People can accept a change of course, if they understand it.

Why decisions are never purely rational

We often like to believe that leadership decisions can be purely rational, based on analysis and evidence. But that is an illusion.

Decisions about the future are, by definition, decisions about something that does not exist. They are projections, informed by data and reasoning, yes—but also by values, intuition, and emotion. This is not a weakness. It is the very nature of decision taking. Neuroscience shows us that no decision is ever made without emotion: it is part of how our brain functions. Pretending otherwise only leads to frustration.

Leaders who acknowledge this reality—who admit that decisions carry uncertainty, that they are a mix of facts and feelings—are not weak. They are courageous. Because they dare to step out of the illusion of complete control and calculability. They admit what is true for all of us: that leading is not about knowing everything in advance, but about navigating the unknown with responsibility.

A few recommendations for leaders

From this experience, my recommendations are simple, though not easy:

• Take decisions. Do not wait for perfect certainty or universal agreement.

• Communicate transparently. Share your reasoning, acknowledge other valid positions, and be honest about the uncertainties.

• Carry responsibility. Make it clear that you own the decision, not the group, not the process, not “the circumstances.”

• Adapt when necessary. If a decision proves wrong, change course with honesty, and explain the new direction clearly.

  
  

This is what leadership looks like: courage paired with flexibility, clarity paired with openness. It is not about pretending to control the future, but about helping others move into it with confidence, even when the path is not yet fully visible.

The organisation I worked with did not manage to get there at that point. But the lesson it taught me is one that I will carry forward: without courage to decide, there can be no leadership. And without honesty to adapt, there can be no trust.

When Letting Go Is the Right Thing to Do: Ending an important Mandate

The mandate

At the end of 2024, Roots to Rise was  invited to provide interim leadership for a national non

-profit network supporting a widely used helpline service. Following years of unresolved leadership issues and repeated vacancy in the directorate in 2024, our role extended beyond ensuring administrative continuity. We were tasked with initiating and implementing critical improvements in governance, structures, responsibilities, and organisational culture—creating the foundation for a fresh start with new executive leadership within one or two years.

A promising start - brought down unexpectedly

Together with the board and in consultation with all stakeholders, we developed a comprehensive change strategy, including a fundraising strategy to finance the process. It was unanimously adopted by the board as a sign of hope for the future. But soon, contradictions emerged between the agreed strategy and actual behaviour. A few but influential  key figures - members of the strategic leadership - did not follow the shared direction, despite their ostensible strong support for the strategy during the board meetings. Some decisions were actively undermined; others delayed or ignored. Combined with very limited resources for implementation - we were two Roots to Rise staff working part-time and covering both the ongoing management  and the complex change process - real progress became increasingly impossible.

The governance structure proved fragile and inefficient. The organisational culture did not fully reflect its stated values of trust and appreciation. In such an environment, our role risked devolving into something purely reactive and administrative - something that neither donors would appreciate, nor the population who rely on the service would ultimately benefit from.

It became clear that the necessary foundation for transformative work was absent, and resources were insufficient to build it. For that reason,  we made the difficult but necessary decision to end the mandate and hand over administrative responsibilities to a service provider specialising in administrative support. Several members of the board resigned, driven by these same concerns. 

The need for change remains - and will only increase 

The organisation remains an important and respected institution, with a long history and a meaningful mission. Yet its ability to modernise is constrained by the influence of a small group for whom dominance is more important than solidarity. Because of the organisation’s prominence, the pressure to change is generally low, and it seems to be more attractive to over-rely on legacy structures and processes than to make an extra effort to build resilience for  tougher times. However, as funding environments grow more difficult and social needs continue to rise, this kind of stagnation becomes increasingly risky, even for well-known organisations. We sincerely hope the organisation will soon find the clarity and commitment needed to drive the change it requires - especially for the many dedicated individuals who seek transformation and who, in our view, represent the silent majority.

Organisational change requires some key prerequisites

1. Professional change management, skillfully balancing the path from past to future in close consultation and with the involvement of the people concerned;

2. Constructive, purpose-driven leadership, willing and able to embrace challenging discussions and decisions;

3. Clarity and agreement on direction and mandate;

4. Adequate resources;

5. Trust, integrity and professionalism;

   
   

At Roots to Rise we bring our clients professional skills, knowledge,  experience and change leadership expertise to ensure diligent and successful implementation of complex organisational change processes. What we in turn require from our clients is committed leadership, adequate resources (time and money), and a climate of trust and integrity that allows for open discussion and the tackling of tough questions arising in such a process. If several of these prerequisites are missing, continuing the process would only waste valuable time and donor-funded resources.

Ending this highly engaging and meaningful mandate was not an easy decision for a small company like ours, where every project matters. But it was the right one - true to our values and sense of responsibility. Roots to Rise stands for meaningful, effective change. We work with organisations ready to evolve - and to turn vision into action with our support at their side. 

What I Learned in six Months with Roots to Rise

From January to July 2025, I interned with Roots to Rise, a micro-enterprise that helps strengthen and develop non-profit organisations. My focus was on administration, communication and event organisation. During these six months I worked mostly remotely, starting at 80% and moving to 90% in March. 

I was looking for a job in the field of communication. I picked this internship because of the flexibility and variety it offered, as well as a good gut feeling about the team — and I was right. From day one, working with Beatrice Schulter (my boss) and Nadine Bernasconi (my mentor) was both warm and professional. There was a real sense of support and appreciation. 

 A Day in the Life 

My days usually started with coffee, breakfast and checking Teams and emails. Then I’d get started with my tasks. Sometimes I began my day with something long-term like designing a report, sometimes with a sudden request that had to be turned around quickly. This mix and a spoonful of unpredictability was what kept me entertained and motivated throughout the last six months. We had regular team meetings and touch-bases to align, discuss challenges and priorities; however, I also enjoyed lots of autonomy. That mix of structure and independence really worked for me, as I appreciated the opportunity to learn how to plan my own day and take responsibility for my work. It was great to have the time to learn how to do things properly but also experiencing the rush of having to quickly adapt to new situations and “go with the flow”.  

RECI & 143.ch: Two Very Different Projects 

For RECI, the Swiss Network for Education and International Cooperation, I worked closely with Nadine on a variety of communication and organisational tasks. This included updating the website, preparing and translating newsletters, emailing members, publishing LinkedIn posts, and more. I learned a lot about the challenges in writing for these different medias and applying corporate identity not just visually, but also in writing. One especially rewarding moment was holding the printed 2024 annual report in my hands after working on that project intensively over several weeks. I also supported event planning and coordination, mainly for the inspiring Education Forum 2025 at Zentrum Paul Klee. Seeing how all the little bits and pieces we had consistently been working on over the course of almost half a year come to life was an incredible experience. 

143.ch, the Swiss emotional support hotline, was a different story. The work we had to do was much more chaotic, but also very interesting. Beatrice had taken over interim management of the umbrella organisation’s back office, placing us in a unique position between the strategic and operational branches of the organisation. I supported regional offices across Switzerland, solved technical issues, and created shared folders and forms to help streamline workflows. During this experience I learned to quickly adapt and reprioritise to be able to handle multiple complex projects in such a fast-paced environment at the same time. 

Roots to Rise: Best Team Ever 

Working with Beatrice and Nadine was honestly one of the best parts of this internship. Beatrice leads with empathy, trust, and clarity. She knows when to give space and when to step in. Nadine taught me so much about communication, from tone and content to design and detail. I really appreciated how we moved from working very closely together to me eventually handling a big part of our LinkedIn communications on my own. One big challenge I had to overcome was realising that building in time for mistakes and asking for help is part of the process— especially when faced with a complicated Excel file that made me want to throw my laptop out the window. Luckily, thanks to the team’s support, I’m ending this internship with both new skills and my laptop still in one piece. 

Roots to Rise feels like a small sailboat in a big ocean: waves from world events rock the boat, dolphins leap alongside us bringing joy, and every now and then we run into big fish that make navigating tricky. But we’re in that boat together, and that made all the difference. As I wrap up this internship, I’m genuinely sad to leave, but also excited for what’s ahead: I’ll be starting a new chapter as a journalist at a local radio station. Looking back, I’d do this internship again in a heartbeat. If you’re looking for a place to learn, contribute and grow within a small but impactful team, Roots to Rise is it. 

Odile Sobacic, July 2025