How to Lead Through Uncertainty (Without Burning Out) with Meridith Elliott Powell

What if uncertainty isn’t the problem… but your reaction to it is?

In today’s episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Meridith Elliott Powell, award-winning business strategist, keynote speaker, and author of Thrive, to break down how leaders, students, and teams can stop fearing disruption and start using it as fuel.

We talk about why most people wait for change instead of preparing for it, how to build a culture that expects uncertainty, and the three-step ASK framework that helps you lead through chaos instead of managing it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why waiting for change is the biggest mistake leaders make

• The ASK for Change methodology

• How to separate what you can control from what you cannot

• Why action calms anxiety

• How to build trust during disruption

• Why failure must be reframed in fast-moving markets

• The difference between managing change and leading people through it

Meridith Elliott Powell is a business growth expert, leadership strategist, and author of Thrive: Strategies to Turn Uncertainty into Competitive Advantage. She works with organizations navigating massive change and teaches leaders how to transform disruption into growth.

📘 Learn more about her book Thrive on her website

In this episode:

00:00 – Shift How You See Uncertainty

02:30 – The Biggest Myth About Disruption

05:00 – ASK for Change Framework

09:00 – Why Listening Unlocks Opportunity

12:00 – Mindset, Beliefs & Results

16:00 – Focus on What You Can Control

20:00 – Managing Change vs Leading Change

25:00 – Culture & Competitive Advantage

29:00 – Reframing Failure with Test Fast

34:00 – Building Trust in Uncertain Times

39:00 – Fear vs Sustainable Growth

43:00 – Advice to 18-Year-Old Meridith

46:00 – Books That Changed Her Life

48:00 – Final Message: Trust the Journey

If this conversation challenged how you think about progress, share it with someone who’s busy… but stuck.

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Now, go out there and make this your best year yet!

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