This One Decision Can Turn Uncertainty Into Your Biggest Opportunity

"Every major leap in my career, and every transformation I've led, began with a decision that involved risk, uncertainty and discomfort. If you're a leader, you've likely faced similar inflection points. Years ago, at Washington State University, we launched one of the first fully online undergraduate Management Information Systems (MIS) programs. At the time, it was uncharted territory. Few business schools had ventured into online learning, and many questioned whether students or employers would take the format seriously."

"This is the nature of bold bets: uncomfortable, uncertain, and often unpopular. But when they align with your mission and are made with forethought, they can transform your business. A bold bet should feel worth it. At Washington State, our mission was to increase access to quality education. Going online was risky, but it was also a path to greater inclusion, reach and relevance. That clarity gave us conviction."

"Bold moves are made or broken by the people behind them. A bold bet without the right team will fail. When I look back at large-scale transformations I've led - like creating classroom-of-the-future facilities or launching early online programs - the common thread was always the team's ability to navigate uncertainty and maintain focus on the mission."

Bold career leaps and organizational transformations require decisions involving risk, uncertainty, and discomfort. When Washington State University launched one of the first fully online undergraduate MIS programs, it faced reputational and financial risks, but waiting would have guaranteed missing the opportunity. Mission-driven bets succeed when they align with organizational purpose and are made thoughtfully. Five principles guide this approach: ensuring the mission justifies the risk, building teams that thrive in uncertainty, testing ideas before full commitment, gathering feedback systematically, and moving forward decisively. The key is distinguishing between discomfort that drives meaningful impact and fear that paralyzes decision-making.

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