Here is another “sneak peek” from the first chapter of Bobbie LaPorte’s upcoming book, Leadership Curveballs, Blind Spots and Black Holes:
As leaders in an uncertain environment, we rarely have the answers our teams expect from us and trying to “spin” how we respond, pretending that we do have the answers will not help us. We don’t know where to turn for support for fear of seeming week and irrelevant, even as our natural networks of supporters disappear. Deep down, we are afraid that our eroding feelings confidence and competence will be found out, and that can be a paralyzing thought in our demanding and competitive workplace where our identity has been largely defined by how we perform at work.
And that can be a scary and unsettling thought. In an uncertain world, our instincts tell us that it is impossible to have all answers. We can’t possibly know how to confidently answer every question that is posed to us, to choose the right course of action, to give clear and informed direction to our team – even as the world shifts and changes around us. Deep in our being..we know this; and yet it feels wrong. It runs against everything we have learned about what it means to be “the boss”. And our ego is our own worst enemy to admitting that we don’t have the answer.
In our survey of tech leaders on managing through uncertainty, not having the answers was cited as the most frustrating issue for today’s leaders. So, how do you retain confidence in the face of not knowing?
The strategy I recommend here is to approach challenges from a strengths and capacity angle, focusing on the assets you have available. Start with your best tools: what do you know; what are your strengths, what are you known for in the organization?
Start with what you have done in similar situations in the past. What worked? What did you learn? What are the common denominators that have created solutions for you time and time again? Uncertainty changes what you need to know: you don’t need to know the solution….only that you are going to get there. Your role now is to be a “Navigator” in uncharted territory. And navigators are never irrelevant.
Not having the answer starts with asking question: “What is the possibility here?” – being to open yourself up to the vulnerability of not knowing. This is the entry point to having a possibilities mindset, and to inventorying, accessing and deploying the strengths, talents and assets available. For today’s leaders, this becomes a capacity issue. What is the present capacity of your team? How do you intentionally build additional capacity in your team to position them to handle future challenges (and there definitely will be) more effectively. And how are you creating the necessary mindsets, behaviors and infrastructure that will enable people quickly shift their value contribution to where it is most needed? If you take this approach, you just mind find that the best tools to solve a problem already exist in yourself and your team; they are the ones you rely on every day.
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Bobbie LaPorte draws on the sciences of positive psychology, neuroscience and behavioral fitness to help challenged executives navigate today’s uncharted territory to achieve their goals. Visit bobbielaporte.com to learn how our approach can transform your people, your processes, and your entire organization—and help you get ready for anything!
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