Fit for Uncertainty: Lead with Purpose, Adapt to Change

Seventy percent of transformation programs fail, and Marianne Bachynski has spent thirty years learning why. In Fit for Uncertainty, the veteran technology executive (Morgan Stanley, Citi, AIG) argues that in an era of AI-driven, warp-speed change, the old command-and-control leadership model is not just outdated but also a recipe for burnout and collapse. This book shows readers one compelling truth: uncertainty should not be viewed as an enemy to be controlled but as a condition to be accepted and embraced. Leaders who make an impact are adaptive change agents who are “clear on the what and why, flexible on the how.” Bachynski brings her experience from successfully building a global platform from scratch to spinning Corebridge off from AIG into this book. She develops six interlocking principles that include strategy, effective communication, adaptive mindset, and cultural transformation as the keys to leading in an age of constant and rapid change.

The most valuable lessons in Fit for Uncertainty are both human and practical: hire people smarter than yourself and let them shine; ask “What do you think?” and truly listen; take the hits and give away the credit; treat talent like a portfolio through the “buy, hold, sell” framework; and know your own story so you can tell it with conviction. The book shines brightest in its anecdotes—her father’s egalitarian leadership, marathon-running metaphors, and Captain Sully’s 208 seconds on the Hudson. The delivery is further supplemented by “Voice of the Expert” contributions that broaden the perspectives on every chapter. Aspiring leaders seeking their voice and C-suite executives navigating AI adoption, merger integration, or digital transformation will discover easy-to-use, invaluable tools and wisdom in this book. Bachynski proves that leadership is a symphony and shows how to make it more enjoyable. It is the one book that gives you immediate tools to face the uncertainty of the future.