Why This CEO Threw Out the Five-Year Plan

Why It Matters

It underscores that agile, crisis‑driven decision‑making is now a competitive necessity, reshaping how firms plan and allocate resources.

Key Takeaways

• Long‑term plans abandoned; focus shifts to agile, short‑term actions.
• Crises like COVID create optimal windows for bold organizational change.
• Fear of failure stalls transformation; leadership must embrace risk.
• External shocks—tariffs, politics—render multi‑year forecasts unreliable and strategic planning ineffective.
• Customer distraction during turmoil cushions impact of missteps.

Summary

The CEO explained that his company abandoned its three‑year and five‑year strategic plans, arguing that rapid market shifts make long‑term roadmaps obsolete.

He highlighted that crises—citing COVID‑19—offer a rare window to implement sweeping changes, because customers are distracted and a misstep becomes a minor blip. The leader also noted that fear of failure and external shocks such as tariffs or political upheaval constantly rewrite the competitive landscape, demanding agility over static forecasts.

“If we mess up, it’ll be a blip on their radar,” he said, emphasizing timing and the tolerance for error during turbulent periods. The CEO also pointed to the 2020 reorganization as proof that bold moves can succeed when executed amid uncertainty.

The message signals to executives that flexible, crisis‑driven strategies and a willingness to accept short‑term risk are becoming essential for staying ahead of rivals in an increasingly volatile environment.

Original Description

TAL Apparel CEO Roger Lee says the company threw its three-year and five-year plans “out the window” a long time ago.

Speaking at CNBC's CONVERGE LIVE in Singapore, Lee said the pace of disruption — from tariffs to supply chain shocks — has made fixed long-term plans harder to execute.

Instead, he says the focus is on leadership, adaptability and timing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, TAL used the crisis to push through a major reorganization.

“If we mess up, we mess up,” he told CNBC’s Christine Tan. “Customers understand that.”

More from CONVERGE LIVE: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/05/15/how-ceos-are-navigating-rising-costs-and-supply-chain-disruption.html