By simply taking in the news, one would probably miss a few things that are positive in business today. Beyond the chafe about the economic meltdown, political malaise and industrial decline are some impressive themes:

1. Companies have discovered or rediscovered their ability to address tough problems under pressure. Managers who have not experienced economic stress before are learning what can be done under the gun of resource constraints and calendar tension. That is a great thing.

2. Companies have discovered or rediscovered their ability to create new strategic and economic value from ideas. Call it the discipline of innovation or the deliberate practice of solution integration, the net effect is driving more opportunities for evolution. That is a great thing.

3. Companies have discovered or rediscovered their ability to engage the hearts and minds of people. Matching the many challenges of growth, performance and change with the readiness and resolute courage of talented people is a powerful engine for business sustenance. Great.

As the editor of Fast Company, Robert Safian, notes in his March 2009 commentary, there is much to cheer about, and indeed there is. Strategic leadership that is prepared and resolved to match strategy, culture, resources and structure with the realities of the business environment and a smart set of natural goals will take most companies to the next level.

Three decades ago, Peter Drucker outlined a series of thoughts about strategy in his book Managing in Turbulent Times.  The principles he advanced are quite applicable today, with some interesting reflections on the circa 1980 era of uncertainty:

• The need for adaptive strategies for dynamic settings.
• The relevance of technical, social and economic forces.
• The structural realities of socio-economic progress.

In strategy leadership and governance, circa 2009, we have what seems to be a perfect storm of uncertainty.  The storm links a torrent of economic, social, political, market and technical factors into the practice of business planning and decision making.  Given this context, what should executives, program managers, board members and partners consider as they direct, integrate and execute their strategic agenda?  The standard answers to this question include a duet of contemporary management themes.  The first theme focuses on framing foresight, insight and adaptive capacity.  This is a matter of getting ready for change… and being flexible as it occurs.   The second theme relates to increasing the resolve to develop capacity that will be needed to absorb the challenges that arise. 

We address these themes in Prepared and Resolved, 2007.  And, Donald Sull defines these concerns through his forthcoming book, The Upside of Turbulence.  The common themes are readiness and resolve, the capacity to evolve.

And the simple truths remain - the turbulent times we are facing are part of an always-unfolding set of realities, a context of VUCA, or volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.  Better companies will survive, prosper and sustain in a turbulent world, with the readiness and resolve to press-on regardless.