By Mike Pearson
There’s a strange thing happening in organisations right now.
Many are doing all the right things – restructuring, introducing AI, hiring consultants, launching engagement programmes – yet somehow, it still feels like everything’s getting harder. Meetings are heavier, decisions are taking longer, and leaders are sounding more tired.
It’s not because people aren’t trying. It’s because we’ve built systems, habits, and mindsets that reward rigidity – and right now, that’s becoming our biggest liability.
The illusion of control
For decades, control was leadership’s comfort blanket. When in doubt: plan, measure, oversee. It made sense right? After all, predictability was power. But in the last five years or so, unpredictability has become the new normal. Back in 2022, Gartner reported that 76% of HR leaders said their organisations were undergoing more change than ever before, yet only 43% of employees felt equipped to handle it. That was three years ago, and things haven’t exactly eased up since.
That gap isn’t about surface-level skills. It’s about something deeper – psychological flexibility – the ability to stay open, adapt, and act on values rather than fear when conditions shift.
When leaders cling to control in unpredictable systems, they create a false certainty. On paper it’s tidy, but in reality, it’s extremely chaotic. Teams then sense the mismatch, trust starts to erode, and change initiatives quietly fall by the wayside.
The ripple effect of rigidity
Research from McKinsey shows that only one in three transformation efforts succeeds – and the common thread in the failures isn’t strategy; it’s behavioural rigidity. Leaders stay attached to what worked before, or they demand instant answers in situations that are crying out for curiosity.
When this happens, people and teams naturally copy the tone. They stop voicing half-formed ideas, they filter what they share, and innovation dries up quicker than a UK hosepipe during the summer.
And that’s where it gets interesting – rigidity doesn’t look like resistance anymore. It hides behind words like “focus,” “consistency,” or “stability.” It feels safe. But it’s actually stagnation dressed as discipline.
Adaptable, not agreeable
One of the biggest misconceptions about psychological flexibility is that it’s about being endlessly accommodating, as if flexible leaders simply go with the flow, avoiding any difficult decisions. The reality is that Flexibility is disciplined adaptability. It’s knowing when to hold firm and when to shift. It’s about staying anchored in purpose while moving with changing tides.
Leaders who are psychologically flexible handle difficult conversations without bracing for battle. They can make uncertain calls without waiting for perfect data. They can experiment without fearing failure – because ultimately, they see failure as feedback, not judgement. Harvard Business Review describes this as “the paradox of strong leadership” – combining conviction with openness. The best leaders are not rigidly right; they’re constantly refining.
Stability has a price tag
Rigid systems don’t just stall performance; they burn people out.
When every shift feels like a threat, people instinctively move into psychological protection mode – guarding, overthinking, doing the ‘safe’ thing. Deloitte’s 2024 Human Capital Trends found that 70% of executives believe their people are “operating in survival mode” at least part of the time. Now that’s a recipe for burnout!
And yet, organisations keep layering on change without changing how they lead through change. It’s like trying to rebuild a ship while insisting it stays perfectly steady.
Psychological flexibility is the missing leadership muscle. It’s what allows humans – and therefore organisations – to stay responsive without losing their humanity.
What happens next is up to us
The truth is, flexibility isn’t a personality trait; it’s a practice. It’s a skill that every leader can build. It starts with awareness – noticing when we’re hooked by those old patterns, fears, or the illusion of control. Then choosing to pause, realign with purpose, and move forward anyway.
Flexible leaders create flexible cultures. Teams see permission to think aloud, to disagree constructively, to experiment safely. The result? Faster learning cycles, less blame, and more energy.
As one leader told us recently:
“The moment I stopped trying to control the narrative and started being curious, my team started solving problems I didn’t even know existed.”
That’s the shift: control becomes curiosity, knowing becomes learning, rigidity becomes responsiveness.
The choice ahead
We’re heading into yet another unpredictable year – markets are uncertain, technology is continuously accelerating, and change fatigue is setting in. The leaders who come out on top won’t be the ones with the most polished plans. They’ll be the ones who can stay human in all the noise.
Psychological flexibility is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the leadership survival skill of our time. Download our Psychological Flexibility Guide for Leaders and keep it close as your go-to for navigating change.
Because in a world built on uncertainty, the only thing that breaks faster than systems is certainty itself.