Coming Up in November: Leading Through Uncertainty
You can help shape this topic right now.
Before we continue with our leadership styles series, I wanted to pause and let you know what’s coming up in November – we’ll be exploring leading through uncertainty!
This topic came directly from our Leadership Council as an anonymous submission, and it’s one that feels especially relevant right now.
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Leading through uncertainty means guiding your team when you don’t have all the answers. It’s maintaining direction and morale when the path ahead isn’t clear – whether that’s navigating layoffs, responding to global unrest, adapting to market disruptions like AI, or managing any number of unpredictable challenges that land on your desk.
When you’re in the thick of it – when your team is looking to you for answers you don’t have – uncertainty can feel isolating and overwhelming.
Next month, we’ll explore how great leadership starts within, helping you develop timeless leadership traits you can draw on to stay steady, clear, and grounded in uncertain times. We’ll then examine how each personality trait influences how one might cope with uncertainty at work.
I’d love your help shaping this topic.
Before I start writing this new series, I want to hear about the experiences you’re dealing with.
If you feel comfortable doing so, I invite you to share the specific challenges you’re facing while leading through uncertainty in the comments.
Here are some discussion prompts you can use if you’d like, but you don’t have to – just share what’s real for you:
What specific uncertainty or ambiguity are you navigating as a leader?
When uncertainty hits, what makes it hardest to lead effectively?
What do you wish you knew how to handle better when you can’t see what’s coming?
I’ll read every response, and your real-world challenges will directly shape where we take this conversation in November.
I’m looking forward to tackling this together! Up next, we’re back to our leadership styles series with a look at how Diplomat personalities tend to lead.
See you then! 👋
So, yeah, no state budget. The chaotic state of what’s happening at the federal and state levels of government has a ripple effect that I’m not sure people fully understand - absolutely all sectors are affected. Though we operate quite conservatively as an organization, the longer the budget is not passed, the more the uncertainty grows in terms of what initiatives should continue and which ones should pause or even stop altogether. Innovation seems to be taking hit after hit.
Three strategies I see people trying that are backfiring:
1- People seem to be rejecting actual authentic collaboration for compliance: a philosophy of “you collaborate with me if I tell you what to do and then you go do it.” I’m concerned that this is clearly coming from fear, insecurity, and uncertainty and an attempt to over-control. In my experience, that top-down hammer always yields really bad decision-making and mistakes/missteps. I want to get better at coaching and modeling true, effective collaboration.
2- I’m really concerned about the toxic positivity that I see some leaders deploying. I think it’s eroding trust. Actually, I know it is. In fact, when people are inauthentic, I think it can only increase the uncertainty! (“things are so bad, they actually need to lie to us?”) I want to get better at respectfully pushing back on this and asking what the challenges are and how we can overcome them together.
3- Additionally, I see some leaders deflecting to get the attention off of themselves and to shame and blame others. I worry that the absence of ownership is a big distraction from the real work of actually leading. This seems the behavior at the highest levels of government and, when you have examples this frequent and public, I’m not sure how we combat that. No one seems to say the “buck stops with me”anymore. I say it. When I find myself in the crosshairs of other leaders who would deflect instead of addressing real issues, I want to get better at managing my defensive emotions so I can refocus the team back to the real work.
I can really relate to some of the other comments that have been offered. The solution I propose and frequently deploy: In my experience, clear, direct, truthful communication always wins the day. Being secure enough to say, “at this time, we just don’t know. What we do know is… and let’s strategically act on that. Be intentionally flexible/ prepared to pivot, though. When we know more/better, we will do better.” Just seeing a dearth of that type of leadership and the impact its absence is having.
Hoping for some additional solutions from you and the team! Thank you so much!
Been going through a massive redundancy process that is not definite, instead, it has been extending over the past 3.5 months. So I am not able to answer the big question for my team: " do I have a job next year, yes or no"
Worst news is that we won't know for the next month so uncertainty is creeping up, eating up performance and clearly eroding trust -> and that's been my challenge. My leadership style was always so Long term focus (as opposed to short term gains) for this reason, I am finding challenging to move my team forward.