Leading your employees in uncertain times

The only thing that we can be certain of is uncertainty. The future is unpredictable, and challenges are unknown. And while most of the functioning of an organization works systematically, it won’t necessarily equate to working without facing any obstacles. Because of this, all leaders operate with a level of uncertainty in mind.

In a workplace, uncertainty can arise from various sources. While random instances like sudden illnesses, technical issues, or a fire alarm can be disruptive, workplace culture and external events can also contribute to uncertainty. Issues in workplace culture, such as poor communication, a lack of transparency, or inconsistent leadership, can create an environment of anxiety. At times, the scope of uncertainty can be beyond the usual purview of events.?? National or global events that nobody in your business has any control over, such as economic downturns or natural disasters, are also unpredictable.

The dynamic nature of what lies ahead for a company could, at times, enfeeble its members, deteriorating everything the leader has built. Thus, the true test of their leadership skills occurs during times of distress, where most could crumble and leaders are expected to take charge.

While they have no control over external factors, there is a lot that they can do with what is available internally. To traverse through unforgiving circumstances, leaders can take the following steps, ensuring that the functioning of the organization doesn’t halt.

Create Mutually Reinforced Trust

The problem-solving aptitude of a leader is what the organization expects from them. This should be reflected in every action they take. To the point that their systems, values, and behavior are predictable to the team and not in a negative way.

Their solution-oriented approach should be something that their entire team is aware of, becoming the template on which they can take action. When a leader who works in a systematic order shows results through their processes, the team is influenced by their consistency and quality of output produced, which creates trust in the actions taken by them, which translates to trust in their systems and the actions they take with certainty.

Moreover, when they consistently produce results, their trustworthiness influences the team to move forward confidently without being influenced by the fear of failure.

Leverage Long-term Vision

During moments of extreme uncertainty, the team’s vision of the future can become foggy. Without an image of what lies beyond the problem, teams can become demotivated, and their survival instincts can lead them to jump ships.?

In such trying times, the leader has to repackage the ambition into a stable rock to hold on to. With a picture of the future beyond the phase of acute unpredictability, the team will have a seed of hope that they will nurture themselves until the fog sheds and the seed bears flowers.

Uphold Honesty and Transparency

During distressing periods, communication between teams and their leaders can become cloudy. This translucency can lead to the development of fear among employees. The communication gap between leaders and their teams is filled by negative chatter that can disincentivize their association with the organization.

Thus, it is important to maintain a consistent and transparent communication channel. What is more essential is to express a confident outlook on the future, as mentioned in the prior point, but this shouldn’t lead to the creation of an assurance that you cannot fulfill. This can lead to dissonance in the future.

Be Present-minded and Future-driven

Unpredictability is part and parcel of operations. However, the daily functioning of an organization cannot stop just to spend all the resources on preparing for unforeseen circumstances. So a leader has to plan resource allocation to maintain a balance between finding solutions and focusing on deliverables, current strategies, and available resources. It's important to prioritize maintaining and improving these processes, even in the face of uncertainty. Once you've ensured that these processes have not been compromised, you can then focus on converting uncertainties into opportunities. This approach can help leaders navigate unpredictable situations and drive their teams toward success.

Beyond the predictable uncertainties, even the most experienced leaders can fail to sustain the balance between risk management and team management. To lead effectively during such times, leaders have to acknowledge the challenges and create hope. This can be achieved by prioritizing trust, clear communication, and a focus on both present tasks and future possibilities. As a result of such proactive actions, leaders can empower their teams to face challenges and navigate the organization to overcome uncertain situations.