Article by: Mike York, COO
There it is.
The sentence that has quietly cost companies:
Market share.
Momentum.
- Millions of dollars.
- And occasionally… their entire existence. Hello there, Blockbuster Video.
“Let’s wait and see.”
It sounds responsible. Mature. Measured. Like a CFO wearing a Patagonia vest and saying “prudence” a lot.
It is none of those things.
What “Let’s Wait and See” Actually Means
Let’s translate it.
“Let’s wait and see” usually means:
- I’m uncomfortable.
- I don’t have enough certainty.
- I don’t want to own this decision.
- If we delay, maybe it won’t be my fault.
It is corporate bubble wrap. It protects feelings. It does not protect growth.
The Myth of Perfect Information
Somewhere along the way, businesses started believing there’s a magical future moment when:
- The data will be cleaner.
- The market will be calmer.
- The risk will disappear.
- The answer will glow softly in a dashboard.
It will not. Markets move. Competitors move faster. Consumers change their minds mid-scroll. Waiting doesn’t reduce uncertainty.
It just guarantees you’ll be reacting instead of leading.
The Netflix/Blockbuster Effect (We Have to Talk About It)
There is no faster way to age a brand than overconfidence plus hesitation.
Blockbuster didn’t collapse because they lacked data.
They collapsed because they believed the present would continue behaving politely.
“Let’s wait and see if streaming is a real thing.”
Spoiler: It was.
The market rarely sends engraved invitations. It sends signals.
Subtle ones at first. Expensive ones later.
What Waiting Actually Costs
Waiting feels free. It is not.
Here’s what it quietly racks up:
- Lost learning
- Slower iteration
- Internal misalignment
- Competitors testing while you debate
- Teams losing momentum
- Opportunities aging out
And my personal favorite: Six months later, the same meeting… with worse numbers.
Waiting is not neutral. It compounds.
But Isn’t Caution Smart?
Yes. Reckless chaos is not a strategy.
But here’s the distinction no one talks about:
There is a difference between “Let’s pressure-test this” and “Let’s stall until we feel emotionally safer.”
Smart caution asks:
- What decision is this informing?
- What are we risking if we move?
- What are we risking if we don’t?
- What would make this testable instead of theoretical?
Avoidance asks:
- Can we revisit next quarter?
- Do we have more data?
- What if the market changes?
The market is always changing. That is not new information.
The Real Role of Research Here
Research is not meant to eliminate risk. It is meant to calibrate it.
It turns: “Should we do this?” into “If we do this, here’s what likely happens.”
It turns: “I’m nervous.” Into “Here are the trade-offs.”
It turns: “Let’s wait and see.” Into “Let’s test and learn.”
That’s a very different energy. One is passive. One is directional.
The Decision Debt Problem
Every time you say “let’s wait,” you’re taking on decision debt. It looks harmless. But it accrues interest.
Soon you have:
- Outdated positioning
- Underperforming messaging
- A product slightly misaligned
- A team unsure who they’re building for
- And a brand that feels… tired
Not because it failed. Because it hesitated.
The Slightly Uncomfortable Truth
The companies that win are not the ones with the cleanest data.
They are the ones willing to:
- Act with imperfect information
- Own their calls
- Adjust publicly
- Learn faster than their competitors
Perfection is not a growth strategy. Movement is.
So What Should Replace “Wait and See”?
Try this instead:
- “Let’s define the risk.”
- “Let’s design a test.”
- “Let’s pressure-test the assumption.”
- “Let’s run the scenario.”
- “Let’s move, with guardrails.”
That’s not reckless. That’s strategic courage.
The Last Word
“Let’s wait and see” feels safe. It’s not safe. It’s expensive.
The most dangerous thing in business isn’t a bold move that fails. It’s a cautious move that never happens. Because markets reward motion.
And hesitation has never once shown up on an income statement as a competitive advantage.
So next time someone says, “Let’s wait and see.” Smile politely. And ask: “What will it cost us if we do?”
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SMARI is an award-winning Indiana-based market research consultancy that was founded in 1983 with the idea of guiding change and inspiring confidence. We are proud to work with SMEs as well as a variety of Fortune 500 brands. We are powered by our core values: integrity, community, perseverance, trust, passion, curiosity, and innovation. SMARI’s expertise includes full project scopes, including instrument design, sampling & fielding services, reporting & analysis in Healthcare, CPG, Retail, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Financial Services industries, and beyond. Much has changed in our 40+ years, but our tagline and overarching mission remain the same—to guide change and inspire confidence. Start a conversation with us at www.SMARI.com.
