Leading through ongoing uncertainty

In this video Liz acknowledges the reality of the prolonged uncertainty we are all experiencing and offers three very helpful tips to help lead through this.

Many of us had hoped to start the New Year under more positive circumstances. What started as a sprint, has now turned into a marathon. And the prolonged uncertainty has left many leaders feeling tired and anxious.

How do you keep leading through the ongoing uncertainty? In this video, I share three simple tips to help you do this.

1. First of all, remember the WHY. In other words, remember the fundamental reason your organisation exists. Its purpose. WHY it does what it does. And keep this as your guiding light as you navigate the choppy waters. Remind yourself and remind your people of the WHY at every opportunity you can. Use it to filter and inform every decision you make from your day to day operations to strategy you adopt.
Remembering the WHY will not only motivate you and help you move forward, it will bring clarity and focus. It will also unify the team and give them a sense of togetherness even though they are not physically together.

We all need to feel like we are part of something important, something meaningful and something bigger than ourselves. Never has this been more true than now. Remember the WHY.

2. Focus on what is certain, not what is uncertain. The truth is, we have always lived in a world full of uncertainty, this is not a new phenomenon. Despite this, there are many things we can be certain of. Focus on these.
Focussing on uncertainty is a breeding ground for anxiety. It will strip you of your resilience.
So what can you be certain of? Well, as a starter for ten, you can be certain that this too shall pass. As an organisation, you can be certain of your WHY. You can be certain of your WHAT, i.e. what you do.
Focus on the certain.

3. When it comes to your people, be both a thermometer and a thermostat. What do I mean by this? A thermometer reads the temperature and a thermostat sets it. As a leader, it’s important that you get an understanding for how people are doing in the organisation. Know where they are at. As a leader, it’s important to acknowledge their pain, their anxiety and their fears. Extend empathy where it is needed. But equally as important, as a leader, you need to help your people not get stuck but to get them looking and moving forward. And you can do that by creating a culture of realistic optimism. Help them remember the WHY, help them focus on what is certain and not what is uncertain. Be a thermometer AND a thermostat.

So to summarise, uncertainty is here to stay. Three things you can do right now to navigate through it is:

1. Remember the WHY
2. Focus on what is certain, and not on what is uncertain
3. Be a thermometer and a thermostat