5 leadership strategies to help teams thrive amid uncertainty

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by Mark C. Crowley

Uncertainty has become a defining feature of life today, a reality that challenges workplace leaders to adapt rapidly, make decisions with limited information, and foster stability amid constant and sometimes highly erratic change.

At the same time, this uncertainty directly affects employees, making it incumbent upon leaders to provide the support and direction their teams need to successfully navigate an unpredictable world with both resilience and clarity.

It goes without saying that the role of a leader has grown increasingly more complex, requiring us to instill stability, foster adaptability, and maintain focus without being overwhelmed by the relentless pace of change.

In just the past month in America, we’ve witnessed the introduction, removal, and reintroduction of tariffs, massively disrupted supply chains, a whipsawing stock market (putting everyone’s retirement savings at risk), major companies mandating a return to office work, and the emergence of artificial intelligence technologies—innovations sparking equal parts excitement and fear as they reshape industries and raise questions about job security and the future of work.

It’s a lot for all of us to deal with.

Through my own leadership experience, I’ve learned that it’s absolutely pointless to try to control chaos—and far wiser to coach teams on how to thrive in spite of it. The following are five strategies I’ve used over the course of my career that workplace leaders can adopt to help their people negotiate complexity and perform at their best—regardless of what turbulence the universe throws our way:

1.   Be a Rational Optimist

In today’s world, it’s all too easy for pessimism to seep into our consciousness and negatively shape how we interact with those we lead. Being an abject pessimist, however, is entirely at odds with effective leadership, as it curtails productivity, stifles creativity, narrows perspective, and stands in the way of meaningful progress.

Yet, while pessimism can directly undermine progress, leaning too far into optimism also carries its own risks. Effective leadership requires striking a balance—offering hope and inspiration while remaining realistic about the challenges ahead.

In his book Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes, New York Times bestselling author Morgan Housel makes this exact point by urging leaders to be “rational optimists.” He emphasizes that our role as leaders is to imbue a deep belief in people that difficult challenges can indeed be overcome, while also being very honest about the strong likelihood that they’ll face setbacks, surprises, and disappointments along the way. Continue reading →

Building a real culture of learning will move your company forward

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by Jay Titus

 

For years, business leaders have preached the power of learning and development. But let’s be clear: A company that has a well-funded learning program is not necessarily one that has a true culture of learning. The distinction is critical.

A culture of learning is not simply a corporate training catalog brimming with thousands of courses that, to be frank, not many may use. It’s not a set of PowerPoint presentations or TED Talks shared over email or posted to Yammer. And it’s certainly not just a “perk” touted in job postings.

A culture of learning is something deeper, more foundational. It is an ongoing, systemic approach to workforce development that sees skill gaps not as liabilities but as opportunities.

Many companies still view employee learning as a box to check, a series of training modules or upskilling initiatives aimed at fixing perceived deficiencies. But in organizations with a true culture of learning, continuous improvement is embedded into the very fabric of how work gets done.

A Deloitte study found that high-performance organizations with continuous learning cultures are 92% more likely to innovate, 37% more productive and 46% more likely to be first to market with new products. The key? A partnership between employer and employee that is based on trust, transparency and shared goals. Continue reading →

5 Ways CEOs Can Assess and Reset Their Company Culture

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Story by Sam Reese

For CEOs, the work to build and sustain a strong company culture is never done. Even the best cultures can be challenged in an uncertain business landscape. But there’s no question that culture is the difference maker in all winning teams.

Great CEOs regularly assess their company culture to identify what’s working and what isn’t, and make adjustments. Below are the five steps top leaders take when “spring cleaning” their company culture:

1. Recognize the need for a cultural overhaul

The first step is understanding when culture needs a reset. We’ve all recognized the signs of a company culture in distress. Goals aren’t met. There is a lack of trust between teams. People point fingers and blame others for performance challenges. There’s low accountability and poor communication. Decision-making takes too long and is tied up in bureaucracy. People are frozen by a fear of making mistakes or are afraid to ask for help when they need it. Silos develop. The most harmful sign is when turnover rates are high, and leaders notice their best performers are leaving.

At the leadership level, CEOs may take shortcuts to hit KPIs or focus on putting out fires instead of strategy. It is only when great leaders recognize these indicators as signs that their culture may need a fresh sweep that they can then take steps to rejuvenate it.

2. Set the tone from the top

Once leaders identify their company’s problem areas, the best leaders spring into action by setting the tone for change. Legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz once said he never knew who his best players were until his team lost. That’s something I’ve experienced in the business world as well. True competitors step forward in challenging times. Amid the toughest challenges, winners find a way. Fostering that winning culture means that the team knows they are in the battle together, they will pick each other up when they fail and they’ll face the next challenge as a stronger team. Teams thrive when they overcome challenges together.

3. Stay connected to the mission and vision

Great leaders ensure everyone on the team knows what success looks like. Transparency about expectations — and how each employee affects the outcomes — keeps the team engaged and motivated. Open communication about results and progress helps the team stay tightly connected. When the executive team clearly articulates how their initiatives drive the company’s results, it sets a tone that encourages consistency between individual actions and overall company goals.

Continue reading →

How to deal with workplace frustration more effectively

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by Art Markman

 

Frustration is a common emotion. It’s a close cousin to anger, because both deal with your reaction to an obstacle that is preventing you from achieving your goals. Where they differ is that anger is (usually) directed outward at an external obstacle. The energy and rage that anger generates may be useful for trying to influence that external obstacle physically.

Frustration is often directed at an internal or systemic obstacle that you can’t do much about. You may be frustrated because you don’t have the capability or time to do something, or may feel like some aspect of your company (or society) prevents you from accomplishing a goal.

But frustration is often unproductive, because it gets you energized around something you can’t really fix. You may actually think less clearly if you get too energized and that might make it harder to move forward. Here are a few things you can do to handle frustration effectively, especially when it comes up in the workplace:

Take a step back

Research going back almost 120 years shows that there is a sweet spot for the amount of mental energy you need to operate effectively. When you have a low level of energy, you don’t think effectively, because you’re simply not engaged with the situation. As you get more energized, you get more effective in your thinking up to a point. However, additional energy will actually create too much arousal. At that point, you have a hard time staying focused.

A little frustration can be helpful, because it may actually get you to pay attention to something that might otherwise escape your notice. However, when a situation creates more extreme frustration, you’re going to have trouble addressing it effectively.

You need to develop strategies to dissipate that energy. Ideally, you would take a little time to disengage from the situation. Some physical activity can help. Taking a brisk walk or doing a workout can leave you calmer afterward. Techniques for calming yourself can also be valuable. Deep breathing exercises, yoga, and mindfulness meditations are options. Some of these techniques (particularly deep breathing) are also helpful when you can’t completely disengage with the situation. Continue reading →

Waiting for a promotion? Here’s how to earn it instead

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Story by Heather Younger

 

At the end of a project or meeting, ask a colleague or manager, “What’s one thing I did well, and one thing I could improve?” Listen without defensiveness and take actionable steps to improve. Younger says, “We can choose to remove the clay that we place over our brilliance.” She points out that being proactive about requesting feedback allows our brilliance to shine through.

When receiving feedback that your presentations need more clarity, take a public speaking course or workshop to elevate your skills and demonstrate your commitment to growth. In this example, be sure to ask what specific areas of your presentation lack clarity. That way, you will not waste time on the wrong things.

Often, people shy away from feedback, because they are afraid of what they might find. Those who are eager to go into the unknown of feedback and take in the good with the bad quickly discover the benefits. We cannot be our best and become more self-empowered unless we know where to smooth our rough edges. The good news is that we all have them. So, there is nothing to be ashamed about. Instead, look at the courage you display when you eagerly seek the feedback as a badge of honor.

Claim Your Leadership Role

Empowerment isn’t a gift someone hands you—it’s a mindset you cultivate. By taking initiative, leveraging your strengths, and embracing feedback, you build the confidence and competence needed to lead yourself—and, in turn, inspire those around you.

Stop waiting for permission. Start leading yourself and watch how others begin to follow.

This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com