What is this problem designed to solve?

Uncertainty can feel like the ground shifting beneath your feet.

In recent weeks, I’ve spoken with clients whose work has been directly impacted by the sudden halt of funding in critical areas. The ripple effects are real—projects paused, plans disrupted, communities left in limbo.

It’s easy, in moments like these, to feel the weight of what is slipping away. But in every conversation, I keep returning to a question that has become a compass for navigating uncertainty:

What is this problem designed to solve?

It’s not a question that dismisses the very real challenges at hand. It’s an invitation to look deeper. Because as history has shown us, when systems shift and traditional support structures falter, solutions often arise from unexpected places.

Michael R. Bloomberg recently reflected on this, saying:

“From 2017 to 2020, during a period of federal inaction, cities, states, businesses, and the public rose to the challenge to uphold our nation’s commitments—and now, we are ready to do it again.”

His words struck me—not as an observation of the past, but as a reminder of what is possible now. 

The halt of funding may have disrupted existing structures, but it does not mean the work stops. This moment may be frustrating, even daunting, but it may also be the catalyst for something even more aligned, more effective, and more resilient.

In my work with clients navigating these shifts, I’ve been using the 4 Lenses Model to reframe the challenge—not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to realign, innovate, and lead with renewed clarity.

Using the 4 Lenses to lead through uncertainty 

Vision (Binoculars)

What is your mission asking of you right now?

Uncertainty often forces us to return to the core of why we do this work in the first place. When external circumstances shift, it’s an opportunity to ask:

Is this disruption redirecting me toward something even more aligned?

A client recently shared, “This isn’t just about what’s happening around me; it’s about what I stand for. This moment is calling me to focus—not on what’s falling apart, but on what I can build.”

Ask yourself:

How does this challenge clarify or sharpen my mission?

What is my next step toward the future I want to create?

Compassion (Heart Glasses)

How can you lead with care for those impacted by this challenge?

Leadership in uncertain times isn’t just about strategy—it’s about presence. Disruptions like this affect real people, real communities, and real lives. Compassion is the lens that reminds us: How we show up matters just as much as what we do.

One leader in my network, working in disaster relief, told me:

“We’ve faced funding gaps before. What keeps us going isn’t just the money—it’s our commitment to those we serve. If we let fear take over, we stop leading.”

Reflect:

Who is being most affected by this moment?

How can I lead with care while staying anchored in my mission?

Creativity (Star Glasses)

What new possibilities are hidden in this challenge?

Disruptions can feel like walls—but they can also be doors. When old structures no longer hold, there’s space to reimagine, to collaborate differently, to create something new.

One client, facing a major funding loss, shared:

“At first, I saw this as a crisis. But now, I’m realizing we’ve relied too much on one source of support. Maybe this is our opportunity to build something more sustainable.”

Ask yourself:

What opportunities might emerge if I step back and look at this differently?

How can I experiment or test new ideas to move forward?

Fierce Curiosity (Magnifying Glass)

What is this challenge here to teach you?

Curiosity turns frustration into discovery. It asks us to dig beneath the surface and find the deeper patterns at play.

A leader I worked with recently paused and said, “This challenge isn’t just about securing funding—it’s about rethinking the entire way we approach impact. If we get this right, it could change everything.”

Consider:

What lessons are emerging from this moment?

How can I use these insights to strengthen my leadership?

Mirror Moment: Where This Is Calling Me to Grow

I’ve been holding this question close to my heart: What is this moment designed to solve for me?

Because I see it too—the frustration, the fatigue, the weight of having to figure things out when resources feel uncertain. But when I pause, I also see something else: the possibility of transformation.

I think about the times in my own life when the expected path disappeared, forcing me to carve out something new in particular with my son Benjamin who suffered from Hurlers syndrome . And I remember that while those moments were hard, they also shaped me in ways I could never have predicted.

This moment is no different.

For me, it’s an invitation to lean even deeper into fierce curiosity—to trust that every challenge carries an opening. To listen more closely. To step back and let new solutions emerge.

What about you? Where is this challenge inviting you to grow, expand, or shift? What deeper truth about your mission is waiting to be uncovered?

Your Turn

If you’re feeling the weight of uncertainty right now, I encourage you to pick one of these lenses and apply it to a challenge you’re facing:

Vision: What is your mission asking of you right now?

Compassion: How can you show care for yourself and those impacted?

Creativity: What new possibilities might emerge from this challenge?

Curiosity: What is this moment teaching you?

Solutions often come from places we don’t expect. And they have the power to shift not just the problem, but the entire landscape.

So, what is this moment designed to solve for you?

Love,

Rita

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