How to Manage Uncertainty and Thrive in Change
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You are an executive.
And you are standing somewhat uncertainly at the entrance of an amusement park, accompanied by your partner and your two children.
Or you are in the office, standing there with your employees, teams, departments, divisions, or the entire management board.
Or you are there with your entire company.
What do you do? The park is deceptive because you consider it familiar, something unchangeable, constant. You have been coming here since your childhood. But the fact is: the park changes every year. New rides open, old ones are removed, shows come and go, the dining areas evolve, the park is expanded, the parking lot is relocated, and so on.
When most people go to the park, they keep to the right, following the prevailing direction of movement. They jostle through the park with everyone else, bump elbows, get overrun by unruly children and teenagers, and stand sweating in lines with screaming children and partners who resist change. Or with screaming employees and colleagues who resist change.
Ultimately, everything starts with yourself, with your personal leadership strength and your ability to deal with uncertainty and succeed in it.
This is what the world looks like today – a world of constant change and constant uncertainty. Of course, the amusement park is just a metaphor, albeit an apt one: either you stand in line to enjoy the thrilling rides, or you don’t. Have you ever gone to the left?
The latest issue of Chief Learning Officer features an article titled "Leadership in Uncertain Times: Uncertainty is Allowed," which I highly recommend. The article outlines three principles for dealing with the unknown.
Learning to handle uncertainty takes time, and the skills needed for this should be incorporated into leadership development program curricula. Here are three simple coaching suggestions.
- Learn to make decisions even with incomplete information. Make a decision that you would normally ponder over for a long time, and instead make it based solely on your current knowledge. Write it down and seal the note in an envelope. Then go through the usual decision-making process. Once that is complete, take the sealed note back out and compare it with your decision. Would you have made the same decision? Could you have made the decision earlier and thus saved energy, time, and money?
- Keep reading. Train your mind to be flexible and to pay attention to subtle signs of impending changes. Uncertainty is the sea we sail on. Continuing to educate yourself helps to understand this sea and accept the inevitability of ambiguity.
- Examine five ideas or trends that you are not familiar with yet, but that will impact your company in three to five years. Consider how these could affect your products, services, and workplaces. Discuss how you can prepare for them.
I still get really excited when I go to an amusement park. Do you too? Beforehand, I check out the latest rides and attractions and then get as excited as a little boy, ready to plunge into the unknown and support my family and company in the process.
The ability to manage uncertainty is not an innate trait but a learnable leadership skill essential for navigating today's perpetually changing professional landscape. By practicing making decisions with incomplete information, committing to continuous learning, and proactively analyzing future industry trends, leaders can transform uncertainty from a source of paralysis into a realm of opportunity. This focus on future-proofing skills and proactive management is paramount. Just as IceHrm provides the structural tools for Succession Planning and Training Management, it implicitly supports the development of a resilient workforce prepared for ambiguity. By incorporating these coaching suggestions into leadership development curricula, organizations can ensure their managers are ready to embrace the unknown, lead their teams confidently into the "new park," and drive sustained progress.
