• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt

1

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

2

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

3

'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
ConferencesLeadership

CEOs on how to build resiliency and survive a downturn

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 9, 2022, 3:04 PM ET
CEOs from a variety of industries discuss managing through crisis.
CEOs from a variety of industries discuss managing through crisis.Getty Images

Navigating the current business environment will test CEOs in the coming years as much, if not more, than the early years of the pandemic.

High interest rates, global instability (both political and economic), and lingering supply-chain issues hit as the world is more intertwined than ever, and both customer and employee expectations have changed. It’s a crucial time for decision-making and, in some circumstances, an opportunity to pull ahead.

Fortune, in conjunction with McKinsey & Co., assembled a collection of CEOs from a variety of industries to discuss managing through crisis. And while the industries they represent are wide-ranging, there were some very clear themes.

For example, we’re going to have to rethink the meaning of resilience. Rather than just another word for fortitude, resilience among businesses in the current world has also expanded to include a company’s culture. Corie Barry, CEO at Best Buy, said her company is doubling down in areas like supporting employee mental health and training employees to fill multiple roles: “kind of like a gig economy.”

CEO Darius Adamczyk added that Honeywell has also been doubling down on employee development. “We’re creating connective tissue with employees that has frayed during the pandemic,” he said. “In 2020 and 2021, we lost a connection, and we’re trying to reestablish that.”

Jeff Jones, CEO of H&R Block, said the company has emphasized training, knowing it had to speed up its operations. In doing so, it learned that some workers had issues with decision-making and risk assessment. By not viewing things like culture and ESG as separate issues, you end up fighting fewer battles, he said.

For Ken Xie, CEO of Fortinet, expanding the definition of resilience meant knocking down silos within the company and using things like the recession “as an opportunity to be more efficient and build a better infrastructure to prepare for the longer term.” And Crown Castle CEO Jay Brown said it’s important to “teach people to be naturally curious about what is to come,” using challenges as opportunities.

Another key? Avoiding distraction amid all of the noise.

“There is a lot of runway for growth if we stay true to our purpose,” said Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol. “We can’t control what’s going on out in the world…We have to focus on our people and our values.”

Mick Farrell, CEO of ResMed, noted the company was pushed to both build ventilators and dramatically increase its production of sleep apnea devices during the pandemic. By staying focused, the company was able to keep up with demand as best as possible given supply-chain issues and grow.

“Out of huge suffering came huge blessings,” Farrell said.

Personal resilience is the third and final common theme the CEOs addressed. Elevating your company and your workforce can create a clarity that helps you move forward, noted Jeff Huber, CEO of Honor. (And, he added, it’s sometimes an opportunity to elevate your industry.)

For Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking.com, that’s meant focusing on ESG, increasing diversity on the board, and arranging for Ukrainian refugees to have access to free or highly discounted rooms. By focusing on social issues, he said, “you will maximize long-term value for your shareholders.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest from our Conferences

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest from our Conferences

dep
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘Will I still matter?’ The ‘Optimism Doctor’ says people can tolerate uncertainty—the AI angst is about something else
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
2 hours ago
coo
ConferencesCOO Summit
From ‘reinvention exhaustion’ to ‘friction absorption’: the e-commerce elves who make your groceries and clothes appear are worn out
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
2 hours ago
zhu
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘One thing after the next’: Axon and Schneider Electric supply chain chiefs talk life in permanent disruption
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
3 hours ago
kirol
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘Stop building silos of excellence’: Peloton’s COO has a Navy playbook for the new era of supply chain chaos
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
5 hours ago
b
ConferencesCOO Summit
‘We lost a lot of talent’: The man who overhauled the CDC before the DOGE cuts is still concerned about damage
By Nick LichtenbergJune 3, 2026
6 hours ago
coo
ConferencesCOO Summit
The $18 expense report and the defunded intern programs: symbols of corporate America’s dysfunction
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
22 hours ago

Most Popular

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
North America
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
By Katie Savin, Callie Freitag, Matthew Borus and The ConversationJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
Banking
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can 'both  execute and develop others'
Newsletters
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can 'both execute and develop others'
By Diane BradyJune 2, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 2, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 2, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.