Adapting through change in business  

Leaders don’t need reminding that disruption is everywhere. Supply chains can be disrupted almost overnight, and digital services reset customer expectations without warning. In B2B, change is the environment we’re operating in, so the question becomes how you choose to steer your organisation through it.

Uncertainty makes a lot of leaders tighten their grip, hoping control will steady the ship. The problem is that rigid plans rarely last in markets that keep shifting. A more practical way forward might be to back small trials and letting your teams share what they learn along the way. Even when a pilot trial misses the mark, the lessons usually point to better decisions than a plan set months or years ago.

That’s exactly what Moody’s did in early 2023. The credit ratings giant chose to embrace uncertainty head-on by investing early in generative AI. Partnering with Microsoft’s OpenAI service, CEO Rob Fauber pushed AI into Moody’s risk analysis tools, reasoning that standing still was a greater risk than bold experimentation. It was a clear example of a leader backing experimentation during disruption (Harvard Business Review, 2025).

Moody’s stayed focused on their purpose of delivering trusted risk insights. The early bet on generative AI was a deliberate move to test something new, and sharpen risk analysis. And since then, one of their tools has cut analysis times by up to 30% and helped analysts process far more data (FinTech Magazine, 2025).

Moments like these also show how important it is to hold onto purpose while leaving room to shift the strategy. A clear purpose gives people something steady to hold on to when priorities keep moving, but the way you deliver on it needs space to change. Leaders who treat both as fixed often find themselves left behind.

Logistics company Maersk offers a good example. Their mission of “improving life for all by integrating the world” didn’t change, but the way they delivered on it did. When supply chains were under pressure, ships were shifted to the busiest routes and port hours were extended. They also backed teams to trial new digital tools, including AI-driven customer service systems. By staying clear on their purpose but flexible in execution, Maersk kept moving forward (Harvard Business Review, 2022).

The auto industry has been under pressure for years, with tougher emissions rules, new entrants like Tesla, and Volkswagen’s own Dieselgate scandal, putting the company at a crossroads. Instead of trying to defend old ground, VW used the disruption as a reason to start again.  

The company put more than €35 billion behind electrification, and turned plants such as Zwickau in Germany into EV-only sites. More importantly, VW reset their purpose around sustainable mobility, setting a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 (The Guardian, 2021).

Volkswagen’s turnaround shows how disruption can sharpen focus rather than stall progress. In B2B, it’s worth recognising when markets are shifting, and focusing resources on where demand and regulation are heading. In practice, that could mean moving your budget into emerging technologies and restructuring operations to cut risk.  

All of this points to resilience. It’s about being able to take a hit and adjust quickly. This comes from two places: the systems you build, and the mindset you encourage. On the systems side, it could mean not relying too heavily on one supplier, or having more than one source of revenue. On the people side, it means keeping your purpose clear so teams know what they’re working towards and feel confident adapting when circumstances change.

When managed well, disruption can reveal fresh ideas and a more flexible strategy, helping to move things forward.

Footnotes

1. How a Legacy Financial Institution Went All In on Gen AI, Harvard Business Review, March 25, 2025. Harvard Business Review

2. FinTech Magazine, “How Moody’s GenAI tool cuts financial analysis time by 30%,” February 2025. FinTech Magazine

3. How Maersk Designed a More Resilient Supply Chain, Harvard Business Review, November 17, 2022. Harvard Business Review

4. The Guardian, “VW’s €1bn bid to lead the charge in electric vehicle production,” November 10, 2021. The Guardian