How smart leaders manage uncertain times

Photo: Hung Nguyen

Ride the wave

Instead of fighting the waves of change – or even worse, drowning in them - learn to surf them. Change is not going anywhere anytime soon, so the sooner you learn to deal with uncertainty and unpredictability, the better. Do this by upping communication throughout your organisation, creating fluid hierarchies, being fully transparent and improvising whenever necessary. Invest more in your knowledge workers and encourage your employees to be entrepreneurial. Keep your eye over the horizon and anticipate change rather than respond to it.

Focus on your one true mission

The question is not if your organisation will experience uncertain times, it is when. In order to be successful during times of uncertainty, your organization must be consistent and focus on a goal. The goal of your organisation should serve as the litmus test for everything that you do as you work through uncertainty. Staying true to your organisation’s goal helps you prioritise as you sort through the chaos surrounding you. Make sure your company knows what its mission is, remind your team of that goal and drive towards it. Doing so puts uncertainty in its place as an unnecessary distraction from your company’s true potential.

Lead and listen

The only constant is change. Over the past fifteen years, thanks to the internet and social media, the business world has seen an unprecedented rate of change. In today’s landscape, adaptability is key. The secrets to adaptability are threefold: build a strong, open-minded leadership team; maintain as flat, non-hierarchical an organisation as possible; and ask lots of questions of your staff, customers and prospects. Their answers and your ability to listen and implement change will help your organisation thrive in an ever-changing world.

Source: navigossearch.com ; Inc.com ; Linkedin.com ; forbes.com; Tlnt.com