In 2023, success will be a matter of focus. Our predictions for the year ahead reveal that as distractions and disruption sow fear, and even panic, smart business leaders will resist knee-jerk reactions and keep a laser focus on their organizations’ mission and strengths.

This will be a gear shift. Since 2020, organizations have had to rely on quick thinking and big swings to adapt to rapidly changing pandemic conditions, the ensuing shifts in customer behavior, and a perpetually snarled supply chain. 2023 will be different. It will be another year of uncertainty, but uncertainty of a different kind. Economic and geopolitical turmoil will cast a long shadow. Expect a series of daily disruptions (e.g., fuel shortages) and continued macroeconomic weariness. Business leaders will need the wherewithal to maintain focus on long-term revenue growth and customer loyalty.

Trust will be a major theme in 2023. Leaders will need to build trust with employees as labor unrest roils, with customers fed up with greenwashing and poor privacy practices, and with regulators who will increasingly crack down in response to this ire. The need to build trust amid increasing scrutiny makes it more critical than ever to stay true to your company’s values and strategic mission.

In 2023, smart business leaders will also get rid of any pandemic-era efforts that aren’t producing ROI. Leaders able to keep their eyes on the prize of sustainable revenue growth will emerge stronger on the other side and can take advantage of emerging opportunities in the meantime.

Forrester’s predictions for 2023 are designed to help leaders navigate the choppy waters of the year to come. Analysts have combined data insights with decades of experience to bring our clients bold predictions that cut to the heart of 2023’s pressing issues and market dynamics. Clients can explore a growing collection of Predictions resources here.

If you aren’t yet a Forrester client, we have a complimentary guide covering 12 big–impact predictions for the coming year. Register now for our live webinar, featuring an outlook by Forrester CEO George F. Colony. For more Predictions content, explore Forrester’s Predictions hub.