We use this word, ambiguity, and I got curious about its definition. The definitions I found included unclear, inexact, indefinite, and uncertain. As I reflect on the current global and local challenges, they’re the most uncertain we’ve experienced in decades and I’m reminded that leadership is all about uncertainty and ambiguity. The current climate highlights this more than ever. Leadership is never about certainty, by nature is it moving into the unknown. Creating what has never existed before, making decisions where there are no right answers and navigating relationships – human beings are inexact by nature. The illusion of certainty has been pulled away like a veil.

So how does one lead through ambiguity?

It’s not enough to suggest that you get comfortable expecting the unexpected. Comfort won’t magically appear, uncertainty creates discomfort. Building resilience to continue to navigate and lead through ambiguity requires skills to renew energy, to develop clarity of mind in unclear moments, to persevere and to create for the future. Here are five strategies for leading through uncertainty:

Recognize your behaviours under stress

Do you people-please or become aggressive? Do you dig in and double down on defending yourself as right or drive to the point of burnout? Do you get critical or become passive? Do you focus on perfection at all costs or follow the rules for the sake of the rules? Only when you recognize your stress responses can you then use your skills for managing stress. Failing to recognize and manage your stress will lead to fear driving your decisions instead of leveraging your wisdom and the team around you.

Make tough decisions

There are decisions to be made and if you don’t act in a timely manner, they’ll be made for you by the changing environment and passing of time. There are some decisions you won’t ever have enough data to identify a right answer until after you’ve made them. Sometimes months, sometimes years. There are no right decisions, just next decisions.

Communicate regularly

Many leaders want to hold back from communicating with their teams until they have solid information. Employees and stakeholders are craving communication from you even if it’s a status update of where you are in your process. Share how you’re feeling and express what you feel others may be feeling. Communicate tough decisions quickly and simply using the “What? So what? Now, what?” framework. 

Envision the future

It’s never too early to plan if you leave room for flexibility for plans to change. When the world is uncertain, develop your own probable scenarios based on thoughtful analysis of what you do know and use those to create a degree of certainty in your planning. One approach is to develop three probable scenarios with a specific time horizon. Time horizons can be long term or short term, be open to exploring both. 

Set boundaries

Resilience goes far beyond self-care. This is where you must develop solid boundaries around your time and energy. It could be the time and energy you put into making a decision, or the time and energy you invest in your work. It could also be boundaries around how you engage in relationships in and out of the workplace; how you engage in physical, emotional and spiritual recharge; and how much you invest in putting out day-to-day fires vs. strategic work. Most importantly, set a boundary with yourself to never go it alone. Reach out to other leaders to share your uncertainty and ask for new perspectives.

We may have enjoyed an illusion of greater certainty and recent world events have simply highlighted the ambiguity that has always existed. You’ve led with strength and resilience up to this point, tomorrow is no different.