In an ever-changing business landscape, resilience, adaptability, and purpose are essential for every entrepreneur. In this edition of From the Top, Danah Tahir ceo of HAVAS Red Middle East shares insights on navigating uncertainty, staying relevant in a fast-moving market, and leading with clarity during challenging times. From making smart decisions under pressure to building long-term vision and team motivation.

This conversation explores what it truly takes to lead and grow in today’s environment:

On Navigating Tough Times

Uncertainty never fully goes away; you just get better at working with it. Early on, I used to spend so much energy trying to predict everything and plan for every scenario. What actually helped me was letting go of that need for control and getting really clear on what I could influence – my team, my clients, and my decisions today.

When things feel overwhelming, I strip everything back to basics. What are my numbers telling me? What do my clients and team actually need right now? Am I solving a real problem? Complexity is the enemy when you're under pressure. Simplicity saves you.

I also had to learn that being a good leader during hard times doesn't mean pretending everything is fine. Your team can feel when something is off. Being honest with them, even just saying "this is a challenging season and here's how we're going to approach it," builds more trust than any polished presentation ever could.

And please, take care of yourself. I know that sounds basic, but a tired, depleted founder makes bad decisions. Your mental clarity is a business asset. Protect it like one.

On Adapting & Staying Relevant

The advantage young entrepreneurs have is that you're not stuck in old ways yet. Use that. The ability to move fast, test ideas, and change direction without mountains of layers is genuinely powerful and shouldn’t be underestimated.

That said, I'd caution against confusing adaptation with chasing every new thing. I've seen founders pivot so many times; they forgot what they were building in the first place. The question I always ask is: am I changing because my customers are telling me something, or because I'm scared? Don’t let fear be your driving force.

The best kind of adaptation is small and constant. Keep listening to your market, talk to your customers obsessively, and build feedback into your routine, not just your annual review. When you do that, big pivots become less necessary because you're already adjusting as you go.

And know your core, the thing that doesn't change no matter what. For us, it's always been about the people we serve. Products can evolve, channels can shift, but that anchor keeps you from drifting.

On Leading with Resilience & Purpose

I'll be honest. This is the hardest part of the job. Anyone can lead when things are going well. The real test is who you are when they're not.

What I've learned is that your team takes their emotional cues from you, whether you realize it or not. If you're panicking, they're panicking. If you're calm and clear, they feel steadier too. That doesn't mean faking it. It means doing the inner work so that you can genuinely show up grounded, even on the hard days.

Motivation rarely comes from perks alone. People want to feel like their work matters. So during tough periods, I make it a point to connect the team back to the purpose - why we exist, who we're serving, what difference we're making. That reminder is powerful, especially when the day to day feels heavy.

For my own resilience, I've had to build real habits around it. Checking in with myself regularly. Knowing when I'm running low and actually doing something about it instead of just pushing through. The founders I admire most aren't the ones who never struggle. They're the ones who know how to recover.

And the long term vision? You have to keep it alive yourself first. If you stop believing in it, no one else will. So revisit it often. Talk about it. Let it guide the small decisions, not just the big ones. That's how culture gets built, quietly, consistently, over time.