A long drive across the West last weekend reminded me of a leadership truth: we can grieve what’s gone and still make room for what’s next.

Towns with shuttered storefronts and faded signs carry a quiet ache.

Yet they also whisper possibility.

Demographers have a term for what many rural places face—population decline driven by fewer births, more deaths, and people moving away.

But beyond the data, what stays with me is the tension we all know at work: something that once thrived is now winding down, and we’re not sure what should replace it.

Here’s what resilient leaders do in that in-between:

• Name the loss. Ritualize endings so people can let go without shame or blame. This is a requisite first step.
• Spot the small green shoots. Look for tiny experiments, adjacent uses, or partnerships that hint at renewal.
• Design for adaptability. Build plans in short, testable cycles so learning—not certainty—powers progress.

Try this: Identify one “empty main street” in your world—a process, program, or habit that’s quietly declining.

Gather the people closest to it.

In one meeting, honor what it gave you, decide what to sunset, and choose one low-risk experiment to run for 30 days. Report back what you learn.

Change will come. Our job is to meet it with honesty, curiosity, and care.

Onward,

Moe

P.S. Quick takeaway: Honor the ending → spot a seed → run a 30-day experiment.