When Your Trumpet Sounds, Will Anyone Follow?
I recently had the opportunity to spend time at CXO Rising—a gathering of leaders committed to growing themselves, their businesses, and their impact. It was a room filled with sharp minds, high stakes, and powerful ambitions. But what struck me most wasn’t the strategy talk, the market forecasts, or even the incredible networking.
It was the undercurrent of the moment we’re all living in.
Uncertainty.
Economic shifts. Political tension. Technological disruption. Changing customer expectations. It’s not a season that feels calm and steady—it’s one where the winds shift without warning.
And in times like these, leadership isn’t optional. It’s the differentiator.
But here’s the truth: if you’re a leader and your “trumpets” sound uncertain, who will follow you into battle?
The Trumpet Test of Leadership
An old principle in military history: before troops advance, the trumpet sounds. It’s the signal that the leader has assessed the situation, made the call, and is ready to move forward. That sound must be Clear. Confident. Convincing.
Because if it’s hesitant or shaky, no one will charge forward.
In leadership, our “trumpets” are our words, our decisions, our actions, and—most importantly—the energy we carry into the room. People don’t just follow a plan. They follow the conviction behind the plan.
At CXO Rising, I sat next to a CIO from a major research university who asked me how to lead in uncertain times. His university is facing major budget cuts, and being the leader, not only will his team be affected, but also himself. I reminded that in uncertain times, the first thing people look for is not the perfect answer—it’s certainty of direction. Even if the path needs to be adjusted along the way, they need to know you see reality as it is, you’ve accepted it, and you’re committed to moving forward.
Seeing Reality as It Is
Of the hardest truths in leadership is this: you cannot lead from the place you wish you were.
That’s fantasy.
That’s comfort.
That’s dangerous.
If you only see the market, your team, or your circumstances as you want them to be, you’re operating on wishful thinking.
And when you lead from that place, you risk making promises you can’t keep, ignoring warning signs, and missing opportunities that were right in front of you—because they didn’t fit the story you wanted to believe.
Great leaders—especially in uncertain times—start with brutal honesty. What’s real? What’s working? What’s failing? What’s changing faster than we can keep up with?
At CXO Rising, I spoke with leaders who have mastered this mindset. They don’t sugarcoat. They don’t delay the truth. They take in the reality with clear eyes, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Why? Because when you see reality as it is, you can position yourself to do the one thing that changes everything…
Find the opportunity hidden inside it.
The Opportunity Within the Reality
Doesn’t mean “no opportunity.” It means a different opportunity.
In my own journey, I’ve learned this over and over—most notably on January 15, 2009, when I found myself standing in the aisle of a sinking plane on the Hudson River. That was the purest form of uncertainty you could imagine.
In those moments, my mind didn’t wander to what I wished was happening. I focused on what was happening. Cold water rising. Controlled chaos. A way out.
Seeing reality as it was allowed me to act. And because I acted, I lived.
In business and leadership, it’s the same principle. The leaders who see clearly can adapt quickly. The leaders who adapt quickly can capture opportunities others miss.
Maybe it’s a shift in your customer base that forces you to innovate.
Maybe it’s a new competitor that pushes you to refine your value proposition.
Maybe it’s a market downturn that creates an opening to acquire talent or resources you couldn’t access before. Maybe it’s a budget cut that will allow you to reposition people to other areas where they can grow differently.
The opportunity is always there—but you won’t find it if you’re chasing the version of reality you wish existed.
How to Lead with Certainty in Uncertainty
My time at CXO Rising and my own experiences in leadership, here are three ways you can keep your “trumpet” strong and your people moving forward:
- Face the Facts Fast.
Don’t wait weeks or months to acknowledge what’s changing. The sooner you face it, the sooner you can act. - Decide, Then Communicate.
People can handle bad news. They can handle hard calls. What they can’t handle is silence or hesitation. Make the decision, then speak it with clarity and positivity. - Model the Mindset You Want to See.
If you carry anxiety, fear, or doubt into the room, it will spread. If you carry focus, determination, and optimism grounded in reality, that will spread too.
Your Trumpet Is Always Sounding
The thing: you don’t get to choose whether or not your trumpet is heard. As a leader, every word you say, every move you make, and even every hesitation you show sends a signal.
The question is—when your people hear it, will they rally behind you? Or will they step back and wait for someone else to take the lead?
If you want them to follow, start by seeing reality exactly as it is. Then commit—fully and visibly—to the path forward. Not the perfect path. The next best move.
Because in uncertain times, the leader with the clearest trumpet isn’t the one who knows it all. It’s the one who has the courage to see things as they are and still move forward.
And when you do that, you won’t just survive uncertainty—you’ll turn it into your advantage.