What You Need to Know

• B2B marketers sticking to annual planning cycles risk being left behind, with Forrester warning that volatility is obliterating traditional business playbooks.
• Forrester’s new report urges leaders to embrace ruthless prioritisation, real-time decision-making, and relentless customer focus to survive and thrive.
• Persistent geopolitical shocks, rapid tech shifts, and fast-changing buyer behaviours have rendered old strategies obsolete – slow movers will be punished.
• US tariff hikes, market crashes and looming recession fears highlight the speed and scale of disruption, with Australia also caught in the crossfire.
• Annual plans are out; real-time scenario planning, frontline empowerment, and rapid decision-making are now critical to stay competitive.
• Leaders must balance confidence and clarity with agility, driving continuous learning cultures to turn disruption into innovation opportunities.
• Forrester’s new Three E’s Framework  – enterprise, ecosystem, and external risk – helps organisations prioritise and navigate volatility proactively.

B2B marketers clinging to annual planning rituals are roadkill waiting to happen as Forrester’s latest deep dive confirms that volatility isn't just disrupting markets, it's obliterating old playbooks. But there's a silver lining, according to the researchers: Leaders who ditch rigidity for ruthless prioritisation, real-time decision-making, and laser-guided customer obsession will weather the chaos, and put themselves in the best position to thrive under the new normal. 

According to B2B Leaders: How To Thrive Through Volatility, a new report by Forrester Research, the familiar landscape of business-as-usual has been permanently altered by geopolitical upheaval, rapid technology shifts, and buyer behaviors that evolve faster than traditional strategies can adapt. The report was released in the week prior to US President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff announcements, which has led to a trade war with America's biggest economic partners including Europe, China, Canada and Mexico.

Australia, which runs a trade surplus with the US was not immune, being hit with 10 per cent tariffs. In the weeks since the original tariff announcement, markets have crashed, US bonds have spiked, and investment banks have started increasingly predicting a serious US recession. 

"The constant volatility has upended carefully crafted strategies, budgets and priorities," notes Forrester. Yet, the authors argue, this chaos isn't merely a challenge to endure, it's an invitation to innovate and grow.

Laser-focused flexibility

Navigating these turbulent times requires a shift from reactive decision-making toward proactive, strategic agility. Leaders must "ruthlessly prioritise target market segments," suggests Forrester, urging marketers to double down on their ideal customer profiles and rapidly assess market volatility impacts by geography, industry, and customer size. Successful B2B organisations will relentlessly trim duplicative technologies and nonstrategic operational expenses, they argue, driving resources into high-impact, customer-facing processes.

“Customer obsession is more than a nicety, it’s a necessity," Forrester emphasises. B2B marketers who truly grasp and anticipate customer needs won't merely weather volatility; they'll transform their resilience into a robust competitive edge.

The days of slow-moving, annual decision-making cycles are over. “Persistent volatility means traditional annual plans and decision-making policies are unsuited to the challenge," the report warns. "Speed and adaptability matter more and become competitive differentiators. Change the pace of decisions to near real time and delegate more authority to frontline sales and marketing leaders."

Proactive scenario planning is also now essential, with cross-functional "what-if" exercises becoming mandatory rather than optional. Leaders who prepare contingency plans and crisis communications in advance will find themselves better positioned to navigate and leverage volatility.

Mastering change, sustaining trust

At the heart of effective volatility management is confident, visible change leadership, say the analysts. Leaders must strike a balance between steadying their teams and pushing them forward. 

"Leaders must provide a climate of confidence and clarity that brings stability in the face of uncertainty," Forrester advises.

This means more than process improvements. It also requires a genuine focus on people, according to the report. Robust, bidirectional communication, mindful leadership, and a culture of continuous learning are critical. Organisations thriving in volatility "cultivate a culture of continuous learning, enabling teams to adapt quickly," turning potential disruptions into opportunities for innovation.

Forrester also introduced what it calls its Three E's Framework for risk management: Enterprise, ecosystem, and external risks. The firm says it's designed to help leaders prioritise effectively by helping marketers identify risks within their direct control, partial control, and those entirely external yet impactful, such as systemic disruptions or competitive threats. Leaders who remain proactive, vigilant, and prepared will not merely mitigate risk but capitalise on uncertainty.