"Just Do Better" Isn't a Strategy: What Leadership Really Needs in Tough Times

When companies hit turbulent waters that may include declining revenue, market uncertainty, or even internal culture issues, leadership teams are often given a vague mandate:

“We just need everyone to do better.”

On the surface, it sounds fair enough. Who wouldn’t want things to improve? But in practice, especially during hard times, this kind of direction (or lack thereof) can be more confusing than empowering. And more damaging than motivational.

Because “just do better” without clarity isn’t a strategy. It’s a pressure point.

The Problem With Vague Aspirations

Telling leaders to “do better” without telling them what that means or how to get there creates three immediate problems:

1. Ambiguity Breeds Anxiety

In crisis moments, leaders crave clarity. Without it, the message “do better” can quickly become internalized as:

• “You’re not doing enough.”

• “You should know how to fix this.”

• “It’s your fault things aren’t working.”

Instead of creating alignment, it creates uncertainty, second-guessing, and burnout. People start spinning their wheels instead of solving problems.

2. No One Knows What “Better” Means

Better… how? Are we talking about financial performance? Team morale? Communication? Innovation?

Without a shared definition of success, leaders are left trying to hit a moving target. And when improvement is measured by vague impressions rather than tangible outcomes, trust erodes both in leadership and across the organization.

3. It Shifts Responsibility Without Offering Support

“Do better” can sometimes function as a corporate deflection:

“We don’t know how to solve this—but we expect you to.”

That’s not leadership development. That’s organizational gaslighting.

Better Needs to Be Defined, In Context

What’s often missed is that “better” isn’t one-size-fits-all. It must be contextual. In times of growth, “better” might mean higher output or faster innovation. In times of crisis, “better” might mean more empathy, tighter focus, clearer communication.

Companies must answer:

• What does “better” look like for us right now?

• What do we value most at this moment: speed, stability, trust, margin, morale?

• What are the non-negotiables, and what are we willing to pause or let go?

  
  

If leadership doesn’t define it, people will define it for themselves, and chaos follows.

What Real Leadership Messaging Sounds Like

Instead of dropping vague improvement bombs, organizations need to level with their teams. For example:

“We’re in a tough spot. Here’s where we need to shift: [X, Y, Z]. We know this won’t be easy, but we’re in it together. Let’s talk about what support you need, what trade-offs we’re willing to make, and what doing better actually looks like over the next 90 days.”

This approach invites dialogue. It sets a clear direction. And most importantly, it respects the intelligence and capacity of the people leading the work.

If You’re a Leader Who’s Been Told to “Just Do Better” …

Ask for clarity. It’s not weakness, it’s wisdom.

Try questions like:

• “What does success look like right now?”

• “What are the top three things you want us to prioritize?”

• “What can we stop doing to create space for this?”

• “Where are we willing to make trade-offs?”

You’re not being difficult, you’re trying to be effective.

Final Thought: Don’t Weaponize Improvement

“Doing better” should be a journey of growth, not a vague threat of failure.

When we reduce leadership to unspecific demands for improvement, we rob people of the very thing they need most in tough times: clarity, support, and direction.

Real leadership isn’t about making people guess. It’s about creating shared understanding, even when the path ahead is hard.

So yes, let’s do better.

But let’s also do better at what doing better really means.