The Power of Yet (850 words)

Our reality is defined by our perceptions, and change creates a shift in that reality. When we are faced with uncertainty—new systems, new expectations, new roles—we must be prepared to manage our own perceptions in response.

One of the simplest and most effective tools I’ve found for doing this is also one of the smallest: the word yet.

Be a Yeti

What do we know about the Yeti?

Do you hear how much work yet is doing in those statements?

The Yeti represents the great unknown. So does an ever-changing future at work. When we learn to harness the power of yet, we create a mindset that is far more adaptable to change—one that allows new possible futures to exist without denying present reality.

The Difference One Word Makes

When people are facing change, they often describe their situation in absolute terms:

• I don’t know how to use the new computer system.
• Our new reporting structure hasn’t been announced.
• I haven’t learned about my new responsibilities.
• I don’t have my degree.
• I haven’t found another job.

Each of these statements feels factual. And in the present moment, they may be true. But without realizing it, we often interpret these statements as permanent conditions.

Now watch what happens when we add one word:

• I don’t know how to use the new computer system… yet.
• Our new reporting structure hasn’t been announced… yet.
• I haven’t learned about my new responsibilities… yet.
• I don’t have my degree… yet.
• I haven’t found another job… yet.

The facts haven’t changed. But the meaning has.

The word yet reminds us—and signals to others—that it’s not too late. It leaves room for learning, growth, and action. It says that today’s uncertainty does not define tomorrow’s outcome.

Why This Matters at Work

Less than a third of top executives believe their organizations have the skills needed to adapt to the changes they face. That statistic is often repeated as evidence of a looming crisis.

But language matters here, too.

This distinction is important. When leaders talk about capability gaps as permanent deficits, they create fear and disengagement. When they frame them as skills that have not been developed yet, they create urgency without panic—and responsibility without shame.

We need to be clear with our employers, employees, and colleagues that we can grow, learn, and change to meet new challenges, even as the ground shifts beneath us.

“Yet” as a Leadership Tool

Using yet is not about pretending everything is fine or minimizing real constraints. It is about accurately naming where we are in a process.

“I’m not confident with this system yet” is very different from “I’m terrible with technology.”

“We don’t have clarity yet” is very different from “Leadership doesn’t know what it’s doing.”

The first versions invite learning, problem-solving, and collaboration. The second shut those doors almost immediately.

Leaders who model this language—especially when speaking about their own learning curves—create psychological safety for others to do the same. Over time, this becomes part of the culture: learning is expected, growth is visible, and adaptation is normal.

From Panic to Possibility

Change often triggers panic because it threatens our sense of competence, relevance, or control. The word yet gives us a way to pause between stimulus and response—to interrupt the story that says, This is the end.

“Yet” says something else entirely:

• This is not the final chapter.
• This is a moment in a longer process.
• This is something I can work with.

It doesn’t eliminate fear, but it gives fear somewhere to go. It transforms a closed door into a partially open one.

A Small Word with Outsized Impact

In times of constant change, we don’t always need new frameworks, systems, or strategies. Sometimes we need a subtle shift in how we talk about what we’re experiencing.

What it does is preserve hope—and with it, agency.

And in a workplace defined by unrelenting change, that may be one of the most powerful leadership tools we have.

This article is adapted from the book Moving from Panic to Purpose: Surviving & Thriving during Unrelenting Change at Work.

Reprinted with permission.