In today’s fast-paced climate, uncertainty and volatility have become the new normal. Over the last 30 years, we’ve witnessed an exponential increase in the rate of change, and the past four years have thrown unprecedented curveballs at businesses and individuals alike. With global disruptions like the pandemic, and economic downturns/turbulence, many organisational leaders have accepted volatility and uncertainty as inevitable. Emerging challenges like data security expose companies to risks that impact their stakeholders across the board and that often catch people off guard.
We’ve transitioned from a period of relative continuity to an era where continuous change is the only constant, and businesses and individuals everywhere are feeling the impact of this volatility. However, foresighted leaders are increasingly learning to recognise the opportunity and be proactive in adapting to the new realities. They are better able to evolve their organisation to one that is agile and resilient. Understanding this shift is the first step in preparing for what lies ahead. In this blog post, we’ll share with you three essential strategies to not only cope with uncertainty but to thrive in it.
To hear the specifics from our CEO, Zannah Ryabchuk, click this link to our Navigating Uncertainty Insight Short or watch the video below!
Tip 1: Embrace Uncertainty for Growth
To navigate an uncertain world, we must become comfortable being uncomfortable. Change is inevitable, and the way leaders approach it will have direct implications on business objectives and employee engagement. Fostering a mindset and a culture that views change as an opportunity for growth and learning is crucial in being proactive instead of reactive. Reactive leaders tend to overcorrect, seek control and take actions with short term relief. This only makes things more difficult. Organisations end up with new ways of work, new standards and new policies that create unnecessary pressures, new insecurities, and can build resentment in staff. You can’t manage uncertainty with measures of control.
- Embrace Change: Accept that change is a given. Rather than resisting it, see it as an opportunity to innovate and grow and incorporate it into your organisational systems and outlook.
- Supportive Environment: Create and nurture a supportive environment where teams are encouraged to adapt and pivot as needed.
- Mental Preparedness: Regularly remind yourself and your team that uncertainty is a chance to learn and develop new skills.
Tip 2: Adopting a mindset of "Productive Paranoia"
When it comes to planning and preparedness, our CEO, Zannah Ryabchuk has found that adopting the “Productively Paranoid” mindset has been integral to Breakthrough’s strategy. Coined by authors Jim Collins and Morten Hansen in their book, Great by Choice, Productive Paranoia involves preparing for the worst while working towards the best. It is a strategic approach and cultural mindset shift that enables businesses to remain vigilant and active in anticipating potential threats and challenges. This should be done even when things are going well, in order to course-correct in ample time.
With Productive Paranoia, we become attuned to the economic environment, becoming skilled at identifying and developing preemptive strategies to avoid potential risks. This mindset keeps organisations ahead, making them highly resilient with unmatched agility. A culture of innovation and creative solution-making becomes an inevitable outcome when we stay vigilant.
This mindset is essential for thriving in volatile times.
- Having a Plan A, B, and C: Always have backup plans. Prepare for different scenarios to ensure that you can adapt to unexpected changes.
- Predict and Prepare: Anticipate potential problems and have strategies in place to address them. This proactive approach can mitigate the impact of unforeseen events.
- Growth Mindset: Cultivate an adaptable mindset within your team. Encourage them to see challenges as opportunities to innovate and improve.
In this mindset, you are encouraged to focus on the real issues and avoid overthinking imaginary threats. Building a culture of transparency and trust within our organisation, can help avoid anxiety and stress among our team. Encouraging a culture of open communication, where employees can freely voice concerns and ideas, is essential in early risk detection.
As coined in Great by Choice, the Zoom Out and Zoom In technique, helps maintain a healthy level of scepticism by first scanning the external business environment and then channelling any of that fear into creative action and preparedness. Knowing where you are, and where you want to go is fundamental in successful leadership.
“The idea of Productive Paranoia is not for leaders who walk around scared, afraid to make decisions and suspiciously paranoid about their employees.” - authors Jim Collins and Morten Hansen in Great by Choice
Productive paranoia doesn’t leave you scared of making decisions and moving forward. It instead can act as your guide, cautioning you to be more aware of the conditions around you and use those influences to guide your decision making. We need to do our best to predict the things that could go wrong and could go against our planning but also be prepared for events and activities that we simply can't foresee. Having that growth mindset, that adaptable mindset will set us up for success, whatever happens in the future.
Tip 3: Maintaining Ambition amid Uncertainty is Crucial
Lastly, we need to continue to be ambitious. In times of turbulence, it can be very challenging to predict and plan for the future and this has been a key theme that emerges again and again with our clients and within the Breakthrough community. Not knowing what is going to happen in the next 6 months, let alone the next 5 or even 10 years can lead to a serious state of paralysis for leaders. And this is felt throughout the organisational structure. Here at Breakthrough Global, we recognise this and challenge ourselves to remain inspired and motivated to move forward. Revisiting our values and our purpose and having that ‘North Star’ is critical in reinvigorating and re-energising your collective commitment to the organisational objectives.
Setting long-term goals can be daunting in an unpredictable world. However, having a “north star” or a big vision is vital for motivation and inspiration.
- Set Clear Goals: Despite the uncertainty, it’s important to have clear, long-term objectives that guide your efforts.
- Flexible Approach: Be prepared to adjust your plans as needed. The path to your goal may be winding and unpredictable, but persistence and flexibility will help you navigate it.
- Inspire Your Team: Keep your team motivated by regularly revisiting the big picture and reminding them of the collective vision.
Having that collective and collaborative environment fosters creative and innovative thinking and problem solving. However the road is not going to be smooth. Being agile and responsive as you navigate economic curveballs as a team is important in nurturing organisational stamina. It might take a little bit longer but you'll make it there eventually.
Conclusion
To thrive in an uncertain world, mastering uncertainty, being productively paranoid, and maintaining ambition are essential strategies. While the future may be unpredictable, these approaches will help you navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that come your way.
Watch our Navigating Uncertainty Insight Short as our CEO, Zannah Ryabchuk, provides concise tips for navigating the modern business landscape.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and strategies for dealing with uncertainty. Share your experiences with us at #mybreakthrough on LinkedIn or leave a comment on our Navigating Uncertainty YouTube video.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for our next Insight short where we’ll be sharing more Breakthrough tips and expert advice.
