Leading Without a Map: Governance, Risk & Decision-Making in Uncertain Times — with Darlene Hyde

Send a text to Canada Now! 💬We’re living through a moment of real uncertainty — geopolitically, economically, and technologically. The old playbooks are breaking down. The rules are shifting. And leaders are being asked to make high-stakes decisions without a clear map.In this episode, I sit down with veteran executive and board leader Darlene Hyde to explore how governance, leadership, and decision-making must evolve in times of disruption.Drawing on decades of experience across major institutions and sectors — including housing, finance, transit, telecommunications, and public interest governance — Darlene shares practical insight on how boards and executives can move beyond traditional oversight toward foresight and insight.We discuss:• Why today’s leaders must “read the world,” not just the room• Governance in a period of geopolitical and economic rupture• How boards should think about risk when uncertainty is the baseline• Why silence and over-compliance can create hidden danger• The growing importance of diverse and non-homogeneous boards• Speaking up at the board table — especially for newer directors• Technology and AI literacy as a shared responsibility — not a specialist silo• Calculated risk vs. inaction risk• Housing, infrastructure, and transit as long-term economic multipliers• Where Darlene sees opportunity — and why she remains optimistic about the next generation of leadersThis is a timely, big-picture conversation about leadership under pressure — and how organizations can stay principled, pragmatic, and forward-looking when the environment is shifting fast.Connect with Darlene Hyde on LinkedIn (link in show notes and feature article).If you value thoughtful, future-focused conversations about leadership and decision-making, follow and share the show.Love the show? Help it grow! → Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁 Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦 → All Links (including socials)→ YouTube → Canada Now Newsletter (subscriber perks coming soon!) Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)