Leading in times of Uncertainty as a First-time People’s Leader | Hacking HR Experts Council

Being a first-time leader is already overwhelming enough but what if you got promoted in the midst of the pandemic??

Leading in times of deep uncertainty and chaos for first-time leaders is quite challenging. Aside from the issues of not having enough support, one may also be filled with fear and not knowing what to do to effectively lead their team. A crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic requires leaders to take responsibility and become adaptive of the situation.?

Last article, we focused on the critical skills of a first-time people’s leader. In this article, we will shed light on how to lead in times of uncertainty and chaos.?

With that, we asked some of the members of Hacking HR’s Expert Council: in times of deep uncertainty and chaos (like COVID-times), how can first-time people’s leaders best lead their function?

Communicate with compassion and empathy.?

During these trying times, it is highly valuable to communicate with compassion and empathy towards your team members. It is important to establish meaningful connections with them to truly understand where they are coming from. We all face different challenges in life and it is already hard enough to live in the midst of a pandemic. Now more than ever is the need to have a leader who responds with compassion and empathy.?

Be consistent in your communication, and maintain regularly scheduled meetings. - Mindy (Melinda) Honcoop

You will also pay attention to the team's mental health and moral state, so you can address any issues that may appear. Keeping a positive attitude and continuous support will be paramount in these times! - Carmen Becker

Creating truly human connections. And that is not just connecting with your team, but do it meaningfully. That is understanding what is going on at their personal lifes, see them as whole humans, help them integrate life and work in a healthy balance, and create team bonding spaces to ensure all the team is connected. - Emilia Montiglio

Be transparent & constantly update your team.?

Communicating bad news is truly challenging but as a leader, it is important to be transparent with your team. Transparency means providing honest and accurate information about the current situation. It is vital to communicate in a way they can understand. It’s much harder if you keep them in the dark.?

When you don't know something, be honest and own it. Thank team members for their feedback, and let them know you will communicate these concerns up. Don't promise what you cannot. - Mindy (Melinda) Honcoop

Establish psychological safety & demonstrate personal vulnerability

In times of chaos and uncertainty, it is crucial to create a psychologically safe space for your members to be able to express their thoughts and emotions freely. One way of establishing psychological safety is being able to demonstrate your own vulnerability. Strong leaders also embody vulnerability, showing your true emotions creates a space for others to do the same.?

During difficult times, as a people leader I think it is important to truly demonstrate your own humanness by being authentic and vulnerable. These past years have taught us that we must recognize that it is okay to not be okay. Role modeling this creates an environment where people feel safe to talk openly about how they are feeling and what support they need to be successful. - Angela Sternburgh

Create connection, demonstrate personal vulnerability, care and find ways to show that, create an environment where people can share concerns, challenges and stress and then take action on what you can support. - Jacqueline Cloudt

Be consistent.?

Consistency is one of the most important characteristics of a leader. As a first time leader, it is significant to show that you can be trusted even in the most difficult situations. Practicing consistency help develop discipline and awareness of what is the next best step.

Show the path forward, be flexible and communicate frequently and be as consistent as possible. Pay close attention to the team's mental health and morale, so you can show support and address issues. - Jacqueline Cloudt

Actively listen to feedback & learn from mistakes.?

As leaders, it is important to value any feedback and criticism you receive. It is vital for growth and self-development. Valuing feedback also allows you to learn from mistakes. You have to remember that nobody is perfect and it is okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.?

Actively listen and check in with care and intention. Enter into conversations with curiosity, and dig down to understand the underlying concerns. This will help you to uderstand when team members become uncertain, and what their specific uncertainty may be about. This will be able to help you better address it. It may require reittering a previous message, data shows that it often takes seven times hearing the same message for it to truly sink in, especially if someone is having an emotional response. - Mindy (Melinda) Honcoop

As a leader you need to understand the circumstances arround you, the context, the external issues which may affect your organization, your team, in order to then bring inside the knowledge and provide the certainty for your team members as much as you can. Creating a certainty in uncertain times is difficult, however your role as leader is to show the path and strive to provide a calm and steady atmosphere in the team, and also provide guidance for the future.? - Carmen Becker

Two years into the pandemic, a lot has changed and is still is changing. That is why it is crucial for you to adapt even in times of uncertainty. As a first-time leader, you have to grasp the responsibilities that people are now relying on you. Always believe in yourself and your capabilities. It can be pretty difficult to lead in times of uncertainty and chaos but with commitment and competence, you can lead your function effectively.?

You may also check out the other articles from Hacking HR’s Expert Council:

• Best Advice for First Time People’s Leader
• Timeline of Sucess as a First Time People’s Leader
• Critical Skills for First Time People’s Leader