Uncertainty can be terrifying. As the world, Anguilla included, continues to reel from the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic, strong leadership is required from businesses. Successful leaders need to be able to demonstrate authentic, collaborative leadership, leading from the front and by example, in order to drive through necessary changes with an unsettled workforce.
Uncertain times can severely test (and reveal) the quality of an organisation’s leadership. It is during these times that great leaders act – and act decisively. Through their actions, they set an example for everyone in the organisation and stand as the difference between thriving in a crisis or suffering irreparable damage. Those that outpace the competition are often defined by the effectiveness of their leadership team and their ability to create a culture of innovation, growth and resilience.
Here are a few things business can do to effectively lead and cope through business uncertainty.
1) Put Employees First
The health of your employees should be your top priority. For starters, this means ensuring a sanitary work environment and putting in place clear and concise remote working policies and procedures.
2) Communicate Effectively and Candidly
Uncertainty produces anxiety throughout the workforce. Employees will likely be exposed to conflicting information and feel stressed or confused about the best course of action. Be sure to communicate policies promptly, clearly, and in a balanced manner It is essential to communicate (and reinforce) a clear perspective on what is happening and what it means for the organisation. Every stakeholder needs to understand what is being done to preserve the business and how efforts to do so may impact them.
Above all, be honest. Refrain from sugarcoating, withholding key information or making false promises. All stakeholders must be able to trust that you are being candid with them. It is in times like these that successful leaders make their greatest impact and in so doing create/strengthen commitment and trust within their organisations.
3) Focus on What is Certain
Dealing with uncertainty can make business decisions difficult. Leaders who excel at managing business uncertainty start by taking stock of what they know and what they do not know and assigning a factor of importance to each. Let go of factors that are unknowable and out of your control. Dwelling on the unknown takes away your power to make good decisions. Focus on what is certain.
4) Remain Agile
In times of uncertainty, businesses that are more agile are more likely to survive and thrive. It is critical to stay flexible and consider that the best laid plans may well be fluid. A living document is essential to learn and adapt in a rapidly changing situation. In this new, unpredictable environment, you need to position business resources to be responsive to all developments so that you can quickly determine appropriate next steps. It is important to constantly reframe your understanding of what is happening. Reframing a challenge can help you cope with it.
5) Know When to Pivot
Great leaders are unsentimental about the strategies and tactics that have led to their success. They know the moment when abandoning what has always worked is less risky than sticking with the playbook. This ability to choose the right time to change tactics instils confidence in the organisation and injects the energy needed to drive change.
6) Focus on Positive Actions
Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you are facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions, you create a sense of personal efficacy that produces positive emotions and improves mental performance.
By Sherise Brooks
