Seth Kahan on Grand Challenges
Grand Challenges represent the wicked problems that society faces—complex, persistent, and difficult to solve due to incomplete, contradictory, and ever-changing demands. Yet, addressing them is essential for humanity and life on Earth to survive and thrive. My work is dedicated to confronting these monumental issues.
These challenges are too vast for any single mind to fully comprehend or solve. They are multi-dimensional, with deep systemic roots that are reflected in legislation, policies, social behavior, and even individual thoughts and mindsets. These factors limit our ability to effectively address them.
However, there are models and frameworks I’ve developed to help organizations and activists collaborate in making tangible progress. These stem from my experience at the World Bank, where I’ve witnessed both the successes and failures of multinational efforts, and from my work with Grand Challenges in sectors that include maternal health in Kenya, earth science, finance, nursing, and mental health.
Seth Kahan on Grand Challenges
Executive Leadership In Turbulent Times
In this episode of my podcast, I dive into a question every leader faces sooner or later: What do we do when the world around us is filled with uncertainty, challenge, and disruption? While the circumstances of today may feel unique, we’ve been through turbulent times before. Crises like 9/11, the 2008 mortgage meltdown, and the COVID-19 pandemic shook the foundations of our economy and our daily lives. Looking back, we can see what worked—and what didn’t—for leaders who had to steer their organizations through upheaval.
From these experiences, I’ve identified seven elements of leadership for turbulent times that consistently make the difference. They include situational awareness, strategic agility, stakeholder alignment, value-driven decision making, visibility and voice, building a culture of adaptation, and systemic foresight. In this episode, I break each of these down, showing how they apply when the ground is shifting beneath our feet.
For example, situational awareness comes from gathering multiple perspectives so you see the whole picture, not just one angle. Strategic agility means developing nimble game plans that can flex as events unfold. And systemic foresight equips leaders to prepare for what’s coming next—not just react to what’s already here. Together, these practices create resilience and stability even in chaos.
Whether you’re leading a business, an association, or any mission-driven organization, these seven elements provide a roadmap for not only surviving disruption but emerging stronger. My goal is to give you practical insights you can put into practice right now, so you and your team can move forward with clarity and confidence in the face of turbulence.
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