Organizations freeze when complexity hits. The instinct is to map everything, plan everything, and control everything. Greg Kish has spent almost 20 years as founder and managing partner at Fusion Advisors, helping organizations navigate these high-pressure moments, with more than $5 billion in revenue tied to one thing. Finding clarity when it matters most.
The question he gets consistently is simple. Where do you even begin when everything feels overwhelming?
Most leaders assume they need perfect conditions, complete information, and comprehensive plans before taking action.
They don’t.
They need clarity on what matters right now, a framework that creates lanes for decision-making, and momentum built through small wins that add up. Overwhelm comes from trying to solve everything simultaneously instead of identifying the single most important decision to make today.
Start With Clarity, Not Perfection
When things get complex, the instinct is to chase perfection.
That’s the wrong move.
“Get clear on what matters most right now in the moment,” Kish explains. At Fusion, he’s adopted the CAMP mentality when working with organizations: Clarity, Authenticity, Momentum, and Precision. “There’s an absolute reason why clarity comes first.”
The question to ask is, what’s the single most important decision we need to make today? If leadership can answer that, the rest of the build gets easier.
Not simpler. Easier.
Because once the priority is clear, resources align, teams focus, and decisions connect to that central objective instead of scattering across competing priorities.
Clarity means identifying which decision unlocks the others. Often, it’s not the biggest decision but the one creating the most downstream dependency.
Build a Framework, Not a Massive To-Do List
Hundred-item checklists don’t solve real problems. They create the illusion of control while generating overwhelm.
“What does tend to work more efficiently is having a dedicated structure,” Kish notes. At Fusion, he uses a six-pillar framework: timelines, people, product and process, data, revenue, marketing, and storytelling.
“It’s not about having every answer up front. It’s about giving your team lanes to run in, so decisions connect, and momentum builds.”
Frameworks create structure without rigidity. Each pillar represents a lane where specific teams make decisions within clear boundaries. Timeline decisions happen in one lane. People and organizational decisions happen in another. Product and process decisions happen in a third. The lanes don’t operate in isolation; they coordinate, but they prevent every decision from requiring enterprise-wide consensus.
This matters because overwhelm comes from feeling like everything connects to everything else, which means nothing can move until everything moves. Frameworks break that paralysis by clarifying which decisions require coordination and which can progress independently within established guardrails.
Start Small and Move Fast
Overwhelm usually comes from trying to fix everything simultaneously.
“Pick one lane, make one right move, and build from there,” Kish advises. “Maybe it’s tightening your go-to-market strategy. Maybe it’s aligning the right people around one clear milestone. It’s different for every organization in every moment. But the key is momentum.”
Perfect conditions aren’t required. A starting point is.
Small wins build confidence, and confidence drives velocity. Organizations waiting for perfect information, complete alignment, and ideal timing never start. Organizations that identify one concrete action, execute it well, and build from that success create momentum that makes the next decision easier.
Working with startups defining their first or next chapter, Kish has seen how the first win changes everything. It might be securing an anchor customer, landing a key hire, or proving a critical assumption. The specific win matters less than demonstrating that forward progress is possible.
“Showing immediate progress builds confidence, and confidence is what drives velocity,” Kish notes.
The progress compounds. One win creates credibility for the next decision. That decision creates momentum for the one after. Before long, the organization isn’t wondering where to begin but managing velocity to ensure quality decisions at speed.
Clarity, Framework, Momentum
After almost 20 years helping organizations navigate stadium launches, market entries, and major resets, Kish’s approach to overwhelming moments is consistent.
“Start with clarity. Trust the framework. Build momentum one step at a time,” Kish concludes. “I’ve seen it work everywhere. Billion-dollar stadiums, global brands, and even startups trying to find their first or next chapter.”
Organizations don’t need perfect conditions. They need clarity on what matters most right now, frameworks that give teams lanes to run in, and momentum built through small wins that compound.
You don’t need to solve everything. You need to begin.
Connect with Greg Kish on LinkedIn for insights on navigating high-pressure organizational moments.
