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If youre an executive, there might be a time when you find yourself showing up on edge. You feel burned out, frustrated, and confused. The symptoms are familiar: You take longer to make decisions that typically come easily to you. You find it harder to move your team. Your instinctsonce your superpowerstart to misfire. Naturally, you start to wonder if youre losing your touch. But what if, instead of breaking down, youre shedding? We often imagine leadership development as a ladderfrom novice to expert, beginner to master. But in practice, its more like biology than business school. Leaders molt. They evolve through distinct stages of identity and presenceshedding strategies that no longer serve them, and emerging into new shapes that fit the future more precisely. In entomology, these stages are called instarsthe phases between molts in an insects development. Each instar is complete in itself but temporary. It worksuntil it doesnt. What comes next is the shedding. And with it, an invitation to morph into an expansive form. Leadership operates in a similar rhythm. And what many executives label as burnout or stagnation is often the discomfort of outgrowing an old identity. They just dont have the language for the new one. Through two decades of coaching founders, CEOs, and senior executives, Ive seen this pattern emerge again and again. A seasoned leader reaches an inflection point where the very instincts that once generated success become constraints. This isnt failure. They need to evolve. Heres how that evolution tends to unfold. Phase 1: The original form This is the early phase of leadership where youre the center of gravity. This stage is scrappy, reactive, and high contact. You make decisions fast, stay close to the action, and operate by instinct. Control is direct. Culture is personal. Your presence moves the work. However, this way of operating eventually breaks down. What once felt empowering becomes exhausting. As the complexity grows, your heroic effort becomes a bottleneck. In a world shaped by AI and automation, leadership is no longer about being everywhere. Instead, its about knowing where you matter most. At this point, you need to ask yourself, What is mine to do, and what do they need to do to release? Phase 2: The first shedding This is the first disorientation phase. Your shape no longer fitsbut youre still wearing it. You start to feel friction where there used to be flow. You sense the team waiting for something youre no longer sure how to give. The leadership identity that once fit you like a glovethe driver, the fixer, the gluenow puts you in a bind. To evolve accordingly, you need to think beyond letting go of tasks. Its about shifting power, narrative, and identity. Traditional leadership prized decisiveness. Todays systems require presence in ambiguity. Youre not just delegatingyoure metabolizing complexity. You need to stop being the answer and start asking questions about what you need to do to move your team forward. Phase 3: Adaptation This is when you begin leading through the system, rather than over it. That means designing clarity rather than delivering it. You influence ripples through structures, rhythms, and culture, not just directives. Youre building coherence, not dependence. You start to notice that your team starts to make decisions without you, and things can work even when you’re not in the room. Rather than jumping in to solve problems, you sense when theyre coming and empower your team to do it on their own. This is critical because legacy models taught leaders to control. But today, your leverage is in the conditions you create. Leadership becomes less about managing people and more about managing the systems ability to adapt. At this stage, you need to figure out what would allow this system to self-correct without you. As aspirational and freeing as that sounds, this is the biggest unconscious hijack for most leaders. You’ve spent a lifetime being the one who gets it done. Suddenly, your team doesnt need you anymore. And that means you experience loss. Loss of your identity. Loss of your place as the person people turned to for answers, even when you wanted them to stop asking. Many leaders will unconsciously create a way “back in,” a way to return to their identity as the person people turn to so they can get out of the discomfort. To move to the next stage, you have to attach to a bigger purpose, and attend to your loss. Its real, and its an important stepping stone in your growth. Phase 4: Resonance This is the stage where leadership becomes coherent. Youre no longer relying on charisma or control. Youre building not just for this quarter, but for whats emerging (or trying to emerge) in the long term. This is the kind of leadership that organizations need if they want to be sustainable and succeed in the long term. This type of leader can sense what the system needsbefore it asksand hold that signal long enough for it to take root. Most leadership breakdowns dont come from incompetence. They come from trying to scale a shape that no longer fits. When leaders dont recognize the phase theyre in, they double down on outdated behaviors. They push when they need to pause. They demand clarity when they should be holding space. And they burn out chasing a version of leadership that was never meant to last. While it might sound counterintuitive, growth isnt always forward. Sometimes its through. What distinguishes those who evolve isnt brilliance or brute force. Its the willingness to recognize when a season is endingand the courage to lead from the unknown before the next form reveals itself. If youre a leader and youre feeling the friction, take the time to pause. You might just be going through a transformation that your organization desperately needs.
Category:
E-Commerce
With the Atlantic hurricane season underway and another record-hot summer ahead, corporate America is entering its most volatile stretch of the year. From tariffs to extreme weather, todays risks are hitting supply chains, markets, and investor confidence. The environment turns every natural or man-made crisis into a business liability. If youre a CEO, board member, or C-suite leader, this is your wake-up call and your moment to prepare. To help, we offer a warning of an emerging threat to be ready for: misinformation. Recent leadership shifts, political interference, and funding uncertainty have exposed cracks in the countrys crisis response infrastructure. If government systems cant keep up with the pace of crisis this year and beyond, businesses cant afford to wait. And misinformation cannot go unchecked or ignored. A new front has opened that plays out on the digital battlefield of public perception, where misinformation spreads faster than facts. Lies are sensational, loud, and sticky. The truth? Its often slower and more complexand yes, sometimes boring. That imbalance is where real damage happens. The New Crisis Reality In any crisiswhether a public health emergency, cyberattack, or natural disastercommunication is as vital as the response itself. In todays hyperpolarized landscape, weve already seen the consequences of misinformation, which offer a sobering preview of whats ahead. During the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, social media-fueled panic overshadowed official response efforts. In 2021s Colonial Pipeline cyberattack, misinformation triggered unnecessary fuel shortages across the eastern U.S. In Maui, conspiracy theories about the Lahaina wildfires spread faster than emergency warnings. During last falls Hurricanes Helene and Milton, disinformation delayed life-saving actions, disrupted coordination with cross-sector partners, and triggered real-world threats of violence against federal employees. And during the Los Angeles wildfires, AI images of the Hollywood sign engulfed in flames circulated widely online, further straining a community trying to recover. Misinformation isnt just accidental. Its being weaponized. Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran actively exploit crises to deepen divisions, discredit institutions, and disrupt coordinated responses. We also see this challenge at home, where opportunists or inaccurate reporting are driven by ideology or self-interest to spread false narratives that lead to fear, confusion, and preventable missteps. In a crisis, these harmful tactics not only cloud reality but also actively undermine efforts to help people. Instead of leading through the crisis and mobilizing solutions, companies and government officials are forced into damage control and fighting falsehoods. For companies, false information can trigger stock market drops, supply chain delays, and public backlash. It can erode consumer confidence, spark boycotts, and force costly crisis response efforts that wouldnt otherwise be necessary. Fighting misinformation preemptively through systems, training, and partnerships isnt just good risk management. Its a direct investment in business continuity and brand resilience. And yes, it costs money. But the cost of doing nothing is often much higher. What Business Leaders Must Do Now Misinformation is more than a government problem. It affects every industryfrom energy and finance to retail and transportationand every size of business, from multinationals with global supply chains to small companies serving local communities. During catastrophic events like earthquakes, hurricanes, or cyberattacks, companies within disaster zones play a critical role in recovery. To lead effectively, they need the trust of employees, customers, and local communities. Misinformation undercuts that trust. And its not just during major disasters. In todays always-on information environment, false narratives can surface at any time and spread quickly. The more visible a company is, the more exposed it is to misinformation that can damage its reputation and its bottom line. Companies already recognize this risk, but the speed and scale of recent eventsduring wildfires, cyberattacks, and even routine service outagesshows that the landscape is evolving faster than most are prepared for. Many still lack the infrastructure or strategy to respond effectively. That means executive teams need to start preparing nownot after the fact. Heres how to get ahead of it: Adopt a trusted and battle-tested crisis framework The Federal Emergency Management Agencys Emergency Support Function #15 (ESF-15) is part of the National Response Framework, the federal playbook for how government coordinates during disasters. ESF-15 focuses specifically on external affairshow agencies manage public messaging, media relations, and stakeholder engagement under pressure. Companies can adapt key elements by clearly assigning communication roles, syncing messaging strategies across departments and with external partners, and preparing to respond quickly when false narratives start to spiral. It offers a way to operationalize the response to misinformation by focusing first on delivering accurate, life-safety information to the publicbefore becoming consumed by brand reputation concerns. Conduct high-stakes crisis simulations Most companies run drills for natural disasters or data breaches, but few test how theyd respond to viral misinformation. False narratives can spread faster than the facts, especially during high-stress events. If you havent practiced for that, youre not prepared. A strong simulation replicates how misinformation unfolds through a misleading social media post gaining traction, a fake image circulating, or a rumor targeting your product or executives. From there, teams must react in real timevalidating facts, aligning internal and external messaging, and deciding when and how to respond publicly. Run these scenarios with your full crisis team, including communications, legal, HR, and operations. Dont underestimate the value of having your companys executive team or board in the room. Use realistic conditions like time pressure, incomplete information, and conflicting stakeholder needs. And most importantly, build i consequences. Did the company overreact and make it worse? Did it wait too long to correct the record? These are the dynamics leaders must experience before the real thing hits. Establish public-private resilience networks In a crisis, coordination cant start from scratch. Companies in critical sectors like energy, telecom, and water need standing relationships with local, state, and regional response partners. Even as FEMAs future role becomes increasingly uncertain under the current administration, local and state emergency managers remain vital anchors in disaster response. Companies should identify their regional emergency management agencies and build relationships with leadership, external affairs, joint information centers, and recovery coordinators. Many cities and states already run public-private working groups and emergency operations centers where businesses can participate directly during response and recovery efforts. The goal is to align earlyon messaging, resource coordination, and community needs. When companies and local officials are already connected, theyre in a stronger position to counter confusion, support vulnerable populations, and help stabilize recovery. If federal coordination weakens as many suspect it will under current leadership, these local and state-level partnerships become even more essential. Diversify communication channels Misinformation doesnt wait for a natural disaster. It can spread during a product recall, a service outage, a viral rumor, or in the middle of a major storm. In any of these cases, relying on a single communication channel is a risk. If your website crashes, social media is flooded, or email deliverability drops, how will you reach the people who matter most? Companies already go to extraordinary lengths to get the word out when things go right. They’ll build multi-platform campaigns to sell a new streaming subscription, launch a product drop with a celebrity brand ambassador, or drive demand through social media content for the latest pair of Jordansensuring the message sticks, spreads, and leads to action. That same level of effort is needed when things go wrong. A layered strategy is key. Use tools you control, like text messages to customers, in-app notifications, email, and internal platforms like Slack. Back that up with special hotlines, direct outreach from managers, and even packaging inserts. Traditional and local news outlets are essential, but so is engaging with digital creators who have built trusted online communities of their own. These are the same channels companies already use to drive sales or launch productsnow they need to be ready to correct the record when things go sideways. For businesses with physical locations, point-of-sale signage or handouts can help reinforce the right message. And when systems go down, low-tech options like printed flyers, AM radio, or employee word of mouth may be the most effective of all. Whether its a brand crisis or a major emergency, the goal is the same: Make sure the right message gets to the right people at the right timeclearly, quickly, and through whatever channels are still standing. The Cost of Inaction Businesses that fail to adapt arent just falling behindtheyre exposing people, assets, and long-term viability to growing risk. Public experts and former officials have warned that our national disaster response systems are being hollowed out. The ongoing dismantling of FEMAs leadership and staffing, along with the rollback of coordination functions across federal agencies, is weakening both our emergency response and our broader national security posture. At the same time, the misinformation landscape is only getting more volatile. Bad actors are more sophisticated, AI is lowering the barrier to entry, and fewer trusted messengers remain in place to cut through the noise. Preparedness is no longer a best practiceits a market imperative. In the next crisis, it wont be the truth that drives action. Itll be whatever people hear first and believe fastest. But theres power in what companies do next. Trusted brands, clear communicators, and credible institutions have a unique role to playnot just in protecting their reputation, but in helping the public navigate uncertainty, especially right now. When businesses lead with clarity and humanity, they not only survive the next crisis, they also help shape a stronger, more resilient economy for everyone. And isnt that the clearest measure of brand strength todaynot just being known, but being believed when it matters most?
Category:
E-Commerce
The look of the health and wellness products at CVS is about to get a little less prescriptive. The pharmacy chain, which reported $94.59 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2025, landing ahead of expectations, announced it is overhauling its packaging for 68 pain reliever products this month, with updated packaging to come for nearly 3,000 other health and wellness items by the end of 2026. The outgoing packaging for the pharmacy’s private-label health and wellness products looks overtly clinical, in some cases packing product information into small areas with tiny text. Consumers are already overwhelmed with so many options in the health and wellness category, according to Musab Balbale, CVS Health’s chief merchandising officer. While we continuously strive to innovate our brands, we had not conducted a complete update of the CVS Health brand identity in almost 10 years, Balbale tells Fast Company. Now, we are putting our CVS brand front and center to truly stand out on the shelf. The new look is streamlined, with a simpler CVS logo instead of CVS Health, flat colors instead of gradients, and bigger product labels. The packages are easier to read, and a simplified visual hierarchy emphasizes product benefits and features. It’s made for store shelves and for easy comprehension at a glance. Products for kids and babies will be labeled with a ladybug. The redesign was done over the course of a year by teams from across CVS Health working with outside partners including the brand design agency Pearlfisher. Why CVS is rebranding The new packaging is the latest example of a private-label rebrand as CVS and other retailers have invested more in their own product lines. As consumers traded down from national brands to store brands due to inflation since the pandemic, stores like Target and Walmart redesigned their house brands to grow their owned shelf space and revenue. With friendly, brightly colored packaging that’s more design-forward and high-end than many of the generic brands of years past, this new generation of private-label products is meant to reach high-income shoppers with big-box-store prices. For CVS, the new packaging was made with three goals in mind: modernizing the brand, bringing the brand front and center, and emphasizing product form and benefits to make the shopping experience easier. The larger goal is associating CVS with health and wellness at large. With this evolution of the CVS brand, we’re not only simplifying shopping for customers, but we’re also aiming to become the health and wellness brand they think of first when seeking trusted solutions that deliver value and convenience, Mike Wier, VP of store brands at CVS Health, said in a statement. CVS introduced a private-label snack brand called Well Market last year following an overhaul of CVS Beauty in 2023. Its new health and wellness product packaging represents a further investment into building a strong store brand for core product offerings.
Category:
E-Commerce
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