When uncertainty becomes the norm, leadership must shift from prediction to preparation.
In The Next Age of Uncertainty, former Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz offers a sobering yet insightful analysis of the global forces reshaping our economic, technological, and geopolitical landscape. Drawing from decades of experience in central banking and policy leadership, Poloz identifies five tectonic forces—demographics, debt, digital technology, deglobalization, and climate change—that are converging to create a more volatile and less predictable future. His central thesis is clear: we are entering an era where the frequency and magnitude of shocks will increase, requiring a new kind of leadership—one grounded in resilience rather than control.
For Inside the Decision, Poloz’s work is essential reading on how leaders frame the long game under pressure. He doesn’t just lay out the risks; he models the mindset of adaptive leadership, one that balances the discipline of data with the humility to admit what we don’t know. His reflections on how policymakers made decisions during the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic reveal the internal tension between bold action and cautious stewardship. These are the same tensions that play out in boardrooms, governments, and communities when everything rides on incomplete information and shifting ground.
Ultimately, The Next Age of Uncertainty speaks to a core theme of Inside the Decision: how leaders develop narrative clarity amid ambiguity. Poloz urges readers not to chase certainty but to invest in flexibility, imagination, and systems thinking. His call to “prepare for the unexpected” isn’t just economic advice; it is a leadership imperative. As volatility becomes more embedded in our institutions and daily lives, this book challenges leaders to rethink not only what they decide but how they make decisions under persistent, high-stakes uncertainty.
