Let's Talk About Uncertainty. And Why Your Team Needs Your Emotional Response

Around the world, economies and countries have locked down, reopened, faced long term financial challenges, watched the war in Ukraine with disbelief and wondered what on earth might be next…? It’s a confusing cacophony of change, and all of us are facing the stark reality of operating in an environment of chronic uncertainty.?

On our platform we’ve been seeing the impact: almost a quarter of people are operating close to burnout as this wobbly existence continues, with significant numbers displaying higher levels of anxiety and lower levels of productivity.?

Many of the organisations we support sit in the hypergrowth sector.? These environments are typically fast-paced, stressful and continually changing.? This internal culture combined with what is going on in our world right now creates a hotbed of apprehension, tension and overload.?

Now is a key moment to take stock as a leader. Many people show signs of long-term stress in unexpected ways, and as we move from the immediate crisis into this longer-term phase of unpredictability, people’s emotional states and ways of coping may be shifting again.

Our individual responses to high-stress events vary. Consider grief - a useful process when facing any loss - whether that be the death of a loved one, the end of a job, or a huge change like the closure of the office or loss of a way of life. We all know the myriad complex responses we can go through when mourning: anger, denial, bargaining or sadness and depression. Our individual journey through grief will be unique, taking hugely different forms. We express our pain in our own ways.

We have been talking to leaders on our platform and have been logging some of the behaviour coming up in their teams – and themselves. Here are the top four to look out for:

Anger, irritation and frustration: this can escalate over small issues that feel random, or take shape as sudden anger that seems to come up out of nowhere. Anger is a common phenomenon when we’re holding in a lot of stress; our deeper feelings will ‘bubble over’ unexpectedly at some point, and we tend to lash out at whoever happens to be nearby. When you perceive this in someone in your team, notice the warning signs and act: it’s probably time for your colleague to talk to someone about what’s going on under the surface.

Paralysis, helplessness or powerlessness: this is a common reaction to feeling overwhelmed, and is an understandable response to ongoing global uncertainty. In a very real way, we no longer have control over some fundamental parts of our lives. It may show itself through a change in behaviour – perhaps deadlines being missed, incomplete work or to a lower standard, or a lack of engagement in social or team activities. This is difficult to manage as a leader, but creating space for people to voice their feelings is important, as is helping people acknowledge the areas they can control in the situation.

Denial: many people respond to pressure with a dismissive ‘I’m fine’. Perhaps they are resilient and coping, but use your gut to look out for covert behavioural signals that someone is not being honest (with themselves, and/or with you).

Overwork: many of us cope with anxiety and uncertainty by throwing ourselves into a project. For those wrestling with job insecurity, ramping up the pressure on themselves might feel sensible as a bid to avoid redundancy. Unfortunately, the mental health consequences can be severe. Watch out for the telltale signs of burnout - long hours but decreasing returns, exhaustion, withdrawal.

How to lead well when operating in chronic uncertainty

- Talk regularly to your team, and listen openly.

- Alongside this, listen to your gut. You know your people better than anyone. As well as listening to what they’re saying, notice their behaviour. If someone is behaving in a way that seems out of character – maybe they’re late, easily frustrated, or missing days or deadlines – create an opportunity to check in with them. It will give everyone a chance to stop, take note and really understand what might be going on as they try to cope with everything.

- Operate from a starting point of openness and transparency. This will help to create a culture of trust and will allow people to ‘feel okay to not be okay’ – a key factor in moving away from a culture of avoidance and denial.

- Practice what you preach. Check in regularly with your own emotional state. What impacts on others will be hitting you too. Take time out regularly to get perspective, exercise and aim to get enough sleep.? Seek out your own support through coaching, mentoring or personal development.