When to Pivot vs. Stay the Course: A Strategic Gut Check
Every leader hits this moment. The plan’s in motion. The team’s aligned. But results aren’t landing like you thought they would. Or maybe the market shifts. Or a new opportunity knocks. Suddenly, you’re staring down a hard question: Do we pivot — or stay the course? It’s a question filled with tension. Pivot too soon, and you risk abandoning good strategy before it has time to work. Wait too long, and you waste time, energy, and resources on a direction that’s no longer viable. So how do you know which way to go?
The Difference Between Flexibility and Flailing
First, let’s clear something up: a pivot isn’t failure. And persistence isn’t always wisdom. But the line between thoughtful adaptation and reactive thrashing? It’s thinner than it looks. Real strategy work lives in the tension between commitment and responsiveness. You need both. Staying the course requires grit — but not ego. Pivoting requires humility — but not panic. The key is knowing why you’re considering a change — and what it’s in service of.
A Strategic Gut Check: Questions to Ask
If you're sitting with the pivot-or-persist dilemma, here are a few questions that bring clarity:
Is the original strategy still aligned with our mission and market? Sometimes the world changes — and sticking to the old playbook is more dangerous than adjusting.
Have we given the current path enough time to deliver results? Some strategies need time to compound. Don’t pivot just because you’re impatient — look at leading indicators, not just lagging ones.
Are we reacting to fear, or responding to data? Big changes should be driven by insight, not anxiety. What patterns are emerging? What’s actually not working?
Do we have capacity to execute a pivot well? Changing course takes energy. Make sure you’re not just escaping the discomfort of slow progress.
What’s the cost of staying the course? What’s the cost of switching? Every decision has a trade-off. Make sure you’re being honest about what’s at stake.
What to Do Either Way
Whether you pivot or persist, what your team needs is clarity. Not just in what you decide, but in why. Be transparent. Share your reasoning. Show them that this isn’t just a gut move — it’s a strategic decision. Then recommit. Because clarity without commitment still leads to drift.
Strategy Is a Living Thing
Your job as a leader isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to stay awake to what the business needs now — and make choices that serve the long game. So if you’re at that crossroads, don’t rush. Check your data. Check your gut. And then choose with intention.