Navigating Uncertainty: Three Critical Skills & Mindsets for Effective Leadership

We all know we need to evolve, but are you taking steps today for tomorrow? Even small steps will get you there faster than waiting until urgency moves you up or over the edge!?

Leaders are facing huge challenges—new technologies, chronic uncertainty, and ever-shifting markets—that are reshaping industries and redefining the future of work. To succeed, Brene Brown wisely notes, "We need to develop skill sets, mindsets, toolsets, and systems that support feedback cultures, reward critical and anticipatory thinking, and foster deep collaboration and inclusivity."?

There are three (3) areas leaders should focus on to help their teams and their company(s) succeed and grow. The leaders and teams I see embracing these areas are excited, innovating, and growing their markets. They are also exploring daily how to leverage AI to accelerate and know what they should do and how best to get it done.

1. Embrace the Shift: Focus and Agility

One of the critical shifts leaders must embrace is learning how to be both very focused and very agile.??This might seem paradoxical, but when change is the only constant, the ability to balance these two qualities is essential. Focus allows leaders to maintain clarity and purpose, driving their teams toward well-defined goals. Agility, on the other hand, enables them to pivot and adapt quickly in response to new information and emerging challenges.?

For leaders, this means cultivating a mindset that is open to change and continuously seeking ways to improve. It's about making progress one step at a time, iterating, and learning together with your team. There is no time for perfection or waiting until you are forced to shift; by then, it may be too late.?

2. Urgency and Thoughtfulness: The New Duality

Another crucial aspect of modern leadership is the ability to move with urgency while remaining thoughtful. In high-pressure environments, it can be tempting to rush decisions without fully considering their implications. However, thoughtful urgency involves making quick decisions based on a deep understanding of the situation and its potential impacts. This approach helps in seizing opportunities while also mitigating risks.?

Leaders can foster this balance by encouraging their teams to voice their insights and concerns, thus excavating the unsaid rather than expending energy working around it. By creating an environment with good decision-making models and where open communication and feedback are valued, leaders can ensure that their teams are aligned and moving forward together with a shared sense of purpose. The more alignment, the faster a team can implement, iterate, innovate, and solve simple and hard problems.?

The power of pause can also help leaders and teams sustain the energy and resilience required to weather the inevitable ups and downs. (Read more in my article titled The Power of Pause.)?

3. Leading with Insight and Inclusion

Leaders must foster a culture of deep collaboration and inclusivity. Diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives, enhancing problem-solving and innovation. Encouraging critical and anticipatory thinking within teams ensures that they are not just reacting to changes but proactively shaping their future.?

Leadership in this new era requires a commitment to continuous learning and development. It involves investing in the growth of oneself and one's team members. Leaders who prioritize learning and development create an environment where their teams feel supported and empowered to take risks and explore new ideas.?

Accelerating Shifts and Learning with AI tools?

AI is fast emerging as both the catalyst and the solution to managing change and speeding up adaptation.?

With years of experience as a business leader, executive coach, and advisor, I am passionate about helping leaders move faster, with greater insight. I am excited to see how AI is helping. I have dedicated my time to learning the dynamics of fostering top performance within teams and cultural transformation, and I have created the procedures and tools—many of which are now AI-powered—to assist leaders who desire growth.

It is exciting to integrate the AI tools that accelerate and support the critical shifts and learning needed within organizations. As I approach the completion of my AI Consulting Certification, I see AI tools helping my clients reclaim days of work, achieve greater creativity, get more clarity for decision-making, have more time for higher-value strategic work, and so much more.?

The future of work demands that leaders navigate uncertainty and foster environments where collaboration, critical thinking, and inclusivity thrive. Leaders must embrace the power of AI to support the shifts required and help their teams drive transformation.?

I am supporting leaders on this journey, helping them move forward with confidence and clarity, one step at a time. If you are wondering if I can help you grow and scale, please book a time HERE.

Leanne partners with and invests in CEOs and business owners of 7-8-figure organizations who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of their clients and team members and want growth and profitability for greater impact. She works with them directly to help them get clarity, focus, and insight to fine-tune their leadership, ignite growth, and sustain balance in their lives. She works with leaders and their teams to first identify top levers, including potential systems and AI for quick success, and helps them build a map to their aspirations.?

A successful business owner herself, Leanne has advised and supported dozens of business owners and helped them drive growth throughout the US, Canada, and North Africa across several industries. She has learned how to help companies grow and scale profitably, of which a key success element has been honing her skill in coaching leaders to create better teams, cultures, and outcomes. In addition to an MBA, a degree in psychology, and many certifications, Leanne invests hours every week staying ahead of the curve in AI and strategies to build high-performing cultures. Leanne also has a dedicated virtual team of implementers that are equally passionate about assisting high-impact business leaders in succeeding.