Leading in uncertain times
Photo by Reuben Juarez on Unsplash
Many of my clients are in a tough spot right now. Their teams are worrying about cost of living and sometimes about job security. They are having to get things done with fewer resources, asking even more of their already stressed team members. Priorities are being adjusted, new plans have to be made, teams have to be reassured. It can be tough to still see the forest for the trees and shifting trails. And yet if you hold a leadership position people look to you for guidance, reassurance and support. How can you give them that when you are stretched yourself?
Start by stilling the whirlwind in your own mind. It may feel like you really don't have the time for this when you already have an impossibly long list of things to do, but this is the strategic part of your job. If you want to see what's in the snow globe you have to let the snow settle. If you want the confidence that you are leading your team towards accomplishing the most important outcomes, you have to see them clearly. This strategic clarity will act like a warm knife on butter: when you are clear on the most important things, it is much easier to see what decisions you have to make.
Take N for example, a leader in a global business affected by political tension. She used to set herself a bunch of goals and work back from those. She constantly felt like she was lagging behind and never completing her to-do lists. She wanted to find a way to feel in charge and get ahead of the game again. When I asked her what was most important to her, she answered it in terms of keeping her family safe, have work that challenged her, and being prepared. Having that clear made it possible for her to direct her energy and time towards activities that would get her closer to her most important things. It also loosened the hold many other things used to have on her: she could see they weren't what was going to be most impactful right here right now.
With such strategic clarity you free up mental bandwidth, both for yourself and for your team members and colleagues. The brain space you used to burn on your own worries now becomes available for creative solutioning and for being there for your team members and co-workers. Your newfound calm will show. It will reassure the people around you.
Find out more about how I can help you lead your team through uncertainty with confidence and calm.
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