A business decision can take months to make and only minutes to become a reputation problem. We all watched the Cracker Barrel debacle. The restaurant chain introduced a simplified logo in 2025 as part of a broader brand modernization effort. Customers pushed back and said the change abandoned the brand’s identity. The company had to reverse the decision within days.
But even a carefully designed business strategy can falter when leaders fail to anticipate how customers will respond. Many companies aren’t as prepared as they think. Seventy percent of organizations have a written crisis plan, but just 17% take a proactive approach to identify emerging threats, according to a 2026 FTI Consulting survey.
Here are five ways to avoid shooting yourself in the foot:
- Know what stakeholders value. Who are you in the eyes of others? You have to know that before customers, employees, investors and partners do. What change will they welcome? What could be an unwelcome surprise?
- Pressure-test the decision. Ask difficult questions. Seek perspectives beyond the C-suite team. Judgment will come from outside, not inside.
- Align leadership. Agree on the objectives and risks. Decide who will speak for the company, what they can say and how questions will be handled. All must be on board.
- Explain why. Share what’s driving the change, what it means for stakeholders and what comes next. Take no chances on misunderstanding.
- Listen and adjust. Monitor customer feedback, employee concerns, media coverage and social conversations. Every decision is successful only if it can withstand continuous reassessment.
Issues management means staying awake all the time, so the bottom line doesn’t doze off when something goes wrong.
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