Why Does Everything Feel So Fragile Right Now?
Some weeks just feel heavier.
The world feels unpredictable. Everyone seems tired. Every time you turn on the news it’s another headline that makes the heart rate go up and the chest tighten.
What we feel outside the office matters inside the office. It changes how we think, how we lead, and how we show up for our teams. And that’s a real thing. Not dramatic. Just real.
Right now people are craving something they can rely on. Something that feels stable. Something that feels clear.
That matters - in life and in work.
Let’s Focus on Work
You’ve heard me say it before, AI doesn’t make things feel unstable. AI reveals instability that was already there.
You know this if you’ve ever asked someone a question and gotten three different answers. Or if you’ve spent ten minutes hunting for a policy only to discover it lives in someone’s head, and not in a document.
That’s a symptom of inconsistent data and it creates the same emotional response as external uncertainty: hesitation, second guessing, frustration. This is why we keep saying data integrity isn’t a “technical detail.” It’s the foundation of trust. It’s the difference between an assistant that feels helpful and one that feels like another headache.
When your documentation lacks ownership, it lacks accountability. When your documentation is outdated, your knowledge is unreliable. When your rules live in someone’s head, you’re missing the full story. AI surfaces what was already confusing and/or missing.
And when your people already feel stretched thin? That gap feels bigger. Because humans don’t just want answers. We want confidence in those answers.
Good AI doesn’t guess. Good AI reflects what you actually believe to be true.
It only does that when the knowledge behind it is:
clean and accurate
owned and maintained
updated intentionally
treated as real infrastructure
That’s why data integrity isn’t “extra work.” It’s the work that removes friction, confusion, and stress.
When documentation is solid:
Launches are smoother
Answers are consistent
Teams trust the tool faster
AI doesn’t replace judgment. It carries the remembering so humans don’t have to. And right now? That feels like a relief more than a luxury.
Ask Yourself
Before your next AI project, ask yourself:
When was each document last reviewed?
Do different people give different answers to the same question?
Are there questions where the “official” answer doesn’t match what people actually do?
If any of these make you pause, that’s your opportunity.
The Bottom Line
AI doesn’t create fragility. It highlights where stability was missing all along. And when your organization feels fragile inside, people feel it too.
Data integrity doesn’t just make answers accurate. It makes people feel supported. And that matters more than ever.