The only thing certain in life is uncertainty (let’s go beyond the whole “death and taxes” situation here). We all know this on one level or another, but sometimes we need a reminder. Living through a global pandemic has been a great example of this. Some succeeded in adapting to the uncertainty, and some did not. For those in leadership roles, uncertainty can be especially difficult. There can be intense pressure to maintain a sense of control when others look to leadership as a guide. So how do leaders remain confident, even in uncertain times?
It might be easy to assume that with the vast amount of new technologies available to us that we are able solidly predict market trends, economic climates, and political outcomes. Although these predictive algorithms have become much more sophisticated in recent years, we still must account for error one way or another. The good news is, once we are able to embrace the uncertainty of business (and life in general), there are some great tools to help us navigate the ever-winding road.
Don A. Moore and Max H. Bazerman over at HBR have written a new book (out earlier this year) called Decision Leadership. In it they dive deep into leading with confidence, and the advice given is to embrace uncertainty, but provide context. Confidence in data, not certainty in outcomes. Check out their new article where they discuss a few valuable strategies that will demonstrate how leaders remain effective through uncertain times. Because as Voltaire once said; “Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position, but certainty is an absurd one.”