There are moments when everything shifts—when a disaster hits, funding changes overnight, a crisis demands “all hands on deck,” or policy changes upend the systems we work in. In these moments, the impulse to carry on as usual can feel powerful, even as we know the ground has moved beneath us.
As leaders, we’re often caught between two pulls: the need to respond to immediate demands and the responsibility to hold steady to our long-term commitments. The temptation to avoid, overcommit, or cling to old plans or the desire to change everything now are understandable. But in times of significant change, creating space isn’t about stepping back—it’s about making room for clarity and care so we can move forward with integrity.
I created the Strategy Triage Tool early in the pandemic to help clients navigate the unprecedented challenges of carrying out their work given the uncertainty and disruption. In the wake of the 2024 elections, colleagues and organizations have reached out to share how they’re once again using it to help prioritize, adapt, and stay steady as they forge a way forward. They’ve also nudged me to adapt and share the tool to support our organizations, networks, and movements in navigating this moment together.
The tool is simple but powerful—a resource for discerning what’s needed now, what must wait, and what no longer serves the work.
Imagine this:
- A team working on racial justice initiatives faces sweeping policy changes after an election—much like many of us scrambled to adjust after the 2016 Trump election. Their assumptions about “what’s possible” and “who their allies are” have shifted. They use the tool to identify strategies they can still push forward, name new priorities, and release work that’s no longer aligned with current realities.
- A small organization loses key funding. Instead of scrambling to do it all with less, they pause to use the tool—freeing up capacity to adapt and pursue emerging partnerships. This decision allows them to stabilize their core work while exploring new sources of support.
- A climate justice network responds to a devastating disaster. The tool helps them clear space to meet urgent community needs without losing sight of their long-term systemic goals. It allows them to prioritize immediate relief while tending to relationships that will sustain their advocacy work moving forward.
In each case, assumptions are disrupted, and priorities must be reexamined. What worked before may not work now. The Strategy Triage Tool invites leaders to ask:
- What’s shifting? What assumptions no longer hold?
- What needs to emerge, and what must we honor and let go?
- How do we respond to the moment while holding steady to the communities, relationships, and futures we serve?
Overloaded systems and overwhelmed teams cannot respond to big change with intention. The Strategy Triage Tool creates the space needed to assess, adapt, and experiment forward. It’s a way of staying grounded in purpose while remaining flexible enough to meet the moment.
Big change rarely comes in one wave. It reverberates. It shifts again and again. This tool is meant to be used iteratively, helping you continually recalibrate as conditions unfold.
I invite you to take a look at the tool and both the simple and the extended guides. Use it to pause, reflect, and prioritize. Use it to create the space your team or organization needs to navigate this moment with care, creativity, and focus.
Because making room for what’s needed now is how we make room for the future we’re committed to.
