Let’s be honest—uncertainty is everywhere in business right now. Supply chains are a mess, markets are all over the place, and customer preferences change faster than my 14 year old’s cologne.  But here’s what drives me crazy: I keep seeing leaders freeze up when things get unclear, choosing safety over boldness exactly when boldness is what wins.

My time as a Marine officer taught me something that applies just as much in the boardroom as it did in the field: uncertainty isn’t going away, so you better get comfortable making decisions without perfect information. Besides, all the easy decisions are made before they reach your desk.  You make the hard decisions – ones where there are no right answers.  

The Marine Corps warfighting doctrine puts it bluntly—”uncertainty pervades battle” and you’ll always be “based on incomplete, inaccurate, or even contradictory information.” Sound familiar? 

Speed Wins, Perfection Loses

Here’s the thing—while your competitors are still gathering data and forming committees, you could already be three moves ahead. The Marines have a saying that “speed is a weapon,” and they’re absolutely right. When you can make decisions fast and execute faster, you’re not just beating the competition—you’re making them play your game.

I’ve watched too many great opportunities disappear because leadership wanted “just a little more data.” Meanwhile, some scrappy competitor swooped in and grabbed market share. Speed isn’t about being reckless; it’s about being decisive when it matters.

Warning Signs Your Team Is Playing Not to Lose

I see three red flags that tell me an organization has shifted into defensive mode:

You’re obsessed with preventing bad things instead of creating good things. Your meetings are all about risk mitigation. New ideas get buried under approval processes. Innovation gets strangled by the need to avoid any possible failure. You’re playing defense when the game is won on offense.

You’re focused on protecting what you have instead of going after what you could have. Resources go to defending existing products rather than building new capabilities. Growth takes a backseat to maintaining current position. You’re more worried about losing customers than gaining new ones.

Analysis has become a substitute for action. Every decision needs another study, another scenario, another risk assessment. You’ve got great PowerPoints but no results. While you’re analyzing, your competition is moving.

Embrace the Boldness

The Marines understand that “boldness is a source of combat power”—and business isn’t that different. When everyone else is paralyzed by uncertainty, the leader who acts decisively wins big. But let’s be clear: boldness isn’t about making stupid bets. It’s about making smart moves quickly with the information you have.

Think about it this way—would you rather make a good decision today or a perfect decision three months from now when the opportunity is gone?

Cut Through the Noise

Look, uncertainty isn’t a bug in the system—it’s a feature. It’s the natural state of business, and the leaders who accept that and thrive in it are the ones who win. While others are waiting for clarity that’s never coming, you can be seizing opportunities and gaining ground.

Your team needs to see you making tough calls with incomplete data. They need to see you moving forward while others are stuck in committee meetings. They need a leader who understands that in business, like in combat, “any decision is generally better than no decision.”

Business doesn’t reward hesitation. It rewards action. While your competitors are playing it safe, you should be playing to win.

Stop waiting for perfect information—it doesn’t exist. Start making decisions that matter.