If you’re leading a business in today’s unpredictable world, you know that business challenges are constant. From rising costs and staffing struggles to international shipping chaos and rapid changes in tech, being a business owner or CEO often feels like trying to steer a ship through a storm with no map.
In this episode of The C-Suite Mentor, I share what no one talks about enough when it comes to navigating big business challenges: the internal struggle. That voice in your head that says, “I can’t do this.” That creeping self-doubt. That feeling of being stuck.
But I’m here to tell you that there’s a space between breakdown and breakthrough – and that space is grace. Let’s break it down.
The Challenge Behind the Challenge: Your Mindset
When challenges hit – unexpected expenses, team turnover, supply chain disruptions – it’s easy to spiral. Our thoughts get cloudy. We feel overwhelmed. And we push forward at full speed, thinking more work will equal less stress.
But here’s the truth: You can’t think clearly or solve problems effectively when you’re stuck in reaction mode.
Instead, you need to pause. Pause not because you’re failing, but because you’re giving yourself space to think differently.
The S.A.C.K. Framework
Let me introduce you to my four-part framework to help leaders work through the chaos, instead of just pushing past it.
S.A.C.K. stands for:
S: Stop
When challenges arise, stop digging the hole. Take a beat. Let go of the frantic momentum and allow yourself to process. This pause creates the space you need to see things clearly.
A: Assess
Ask yourself: What’s really happening here? What’s my role or responsibility in this? Is this even mine to fix?
Sometimes we try to solve problems that aren’t ours. You’re not responsible for everyone’s breakdowns. Your role might be to guide, not to carry the full weight.
C: Course Correct
Once you’ve assessed the situation, it’s time to shift. Maybe the process needs a tweak. Maybe your team needs better communication. Maybe you need to delegate instead of diving in. Whatever it is, make the necessary adjustments and realign with your vision.
K: Keep Going
This is where resilience kicks in. Once you’ve stopped, assessed, and course-corrected, don’t stay stuck in that holding pattern. Keep moving forward. Trust that you’re building the capacity to bounce back faster and lead stronger.
The Grace in the Gap
Between breakdown and breakthrough is a space of growth – and that’s where grace is. It’s in that space where clarity lives, where you start asking better questions, where you lean into your heart instead of your head.
When you tap into that grace, you stop repeating the same patterns. You find solutions you couldn’t see before. And maybe most importantly, you realize you can do this, and you don’t have to do it alone.
You Don’t Need to Navigate Business Challenges Alone
Even with years of experience running multiple businesses – including brick-and-mortar businesses in challenging industries – I still face setbacks. Fires, floods, management turnover, culture issues, and shifting strategies are all part of the journey.
But what’s changed is my ability to pause, get perspective, and choose how to respond instead of reacting.
If you’re feeling stuck and unsure of your next move, here are two ways to take a step forward:
Book a Virtual Coffee Chat with me to talk through your situation and uncover your next steps.
Book a C-Suite Snapshot, a deep-dive experience where I’ll help you identify what keeps breaking down in your business, why it’s happening, and how to build a 60–90-day action plan to move forward with confidence.
Tune Into the Secret Podcast
Looking to improve employee engagement, build connections with your customers and get the freedom to finally take a vacation? Get access to my special, secret podcast Lead with Soul where I dive deep into what you can do to avoid the most common pitfalls in leadership while building a high performing team and a business that thrives no matter what the economy is doing. Head on over to https://theresacantley.com/lead-with-soul/ to join the movement!
Resources Mentioned
💻 Join me every Friday at 10 am on LinkedIn for my free workshop
📝 Uncover Your Biggest Blindspots with the Entrepreneur Quiz
Related Episodes
The Power of Choice: How to Lead with Intention
Embracing Being Human: How to Keep Going When Success Feels Out of Reach with Deanna Pelley
