Managing In Uncertain Times, Part 1

I decided to create this post as a result of multiple comments in the Content Survey and in several recent conversations. 
I’m calling it “Part 1” since I know there is more to say than will fit in one article.

– Mike

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As human beings, we crave consistency.  We like routines. We like order. While we appreciate some variety in our experiences (“Let’s try that new restaurant tonight.”), we also value predictability in our personal lives and our work lives.

Unfortunately, the realities of our world often make it difficult to find consistency and predictability.  “The only constant is change” used to be a reflection on changing times. Today, it seems like a quote from a bygone era.  We’re way past that now. We are assaulted by change in almost every area of our lives – technological change, societal change, climate change, political change.  Name any aspect of your life and I’ll bet the rate and pace of change in that area have accelerated in recent years.

I don’t mean to imply that all change is bad.  Far from it. We welcome many changes. Falling in love upends your world, but who would want to avoid that change?  The birth of a child changes people in ways they can’t imagine, and most parents would say the changes are for the better.  I’m writing this in late January and am looking forward to the change of season, when the flowers begin to bloom and the cold of winter fades into the warmth of spring.  In our work lives we accept new responsibilities, take on new roles, and add new people to our teams.

But change in our business environments often creates challenges for us as managers.  This is especially true when the change happens for reasons outside of our control or when the details of the change are unclear.  We know something is going to happen, but we don’t know exactly when or how we and our teams will be affected. We are in a period of uncertainty.

The change to come might be something that we welcome – an expansion of our staff, a new addition to our building, a new product line.  In those situations, we anticipate that the change will have positive impacts. We tolerate the uncertainty because we expect that once the change occurs we will be in a better place.

But today I want to focus on times of uncertainty when we anticipate a negative outcome.  It might be that a line of business has experienced an unexpected decline in sales and the future of that business is in question.  It might be that a plant or an office will be closing. It might be that reductions in staff have been announced, but not yet implemented.  These types of changes are the ones that we expect will have direct and negative impacts on us and our teams. Our business might close. We might have to move.  We might lose people. Something bad is going to happen.

As a manager, your primary responsibilities won’t change.  You still have objectives to meet and results to deliver. Your work doesn’t stop.  But you now have to do it in an atmosphere where your attention and the attention of the individuals on your team may be diverted from work.  You and your team members may be distracted, worried, or even scared about what might happen. You, as a manager, have a responsibility to help your team move through the period of uncertainty with minimal loss of focus or productivity.

Suggestions for Managing During Uncertain Times

During times of uncertainty, your skills as a manager will be tested.  Here are some actionable ideas that you can put into practice now to help you manage when the future is uncertain.  All of these are things you may consider part of your job during “normal” times.  But in uncertain times they take on new urgency and importance.

Be a role model for the people in your team and others with whom you interact.  Your people will take cues from you. If you appear to be in a panic, they will panic.  But if you appear calm and focused, you send the signal that this is the behavior appropriate for the times. 

Be present and available for your team.  Avoid the temptation to close your office door or retreat to a conference room.  Make yourself visible. Be available for informal chats. Give your people more opportunities to talk to you 1-on-1.  (For suggestions about this, see the article Conducting 1-on-1 Meetings )

Communicate, communicate, communicate.  You will need to communicate more frequently and in different ways.  Formal communications (presentations, status reports, all-hands emails) will still be needed, but more important will be your ability to communicate honestly, in-person, and often 1-on-1.

Warren Buffet, the billionaire investor and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, once described the approach he takes in providing information to his shareholders:

At Berkshire, full reporting means giving you the information that we would wish you to give to us if our positions were reversed.

Berkshire Hathaway 2000 Annual Report, pg. 17

This is good advice for CEOs doing financial reporting, but I believe it is also good for managers during uncertain times.  It’s not hard to know what your people need from you. It’s the same things you want from your manager: Transparency, information, empathy, encouragement.  They (and you) want to know the truth.

Be a conduit for information to your team.  Have more frequent team meetings to share what you know.  Maybe you don’t have much new information, but take the time to share it, live and in person.  Allow time for questions, and encourage people to ask about what’s on their minds. If you don’t know the answer, say so, and commit to coming back to them with an answer. 

Be honest about what information you can and can’t share. You may have already learned things that must be kept confidential.  If so, be transparent about that.  “I’m going to tell you what I know and what I don’t know, but there may be things that I know or will learn that I can’t tell you.” 

If you have peers in similar management roles, it’s a good idea to coordinate with them and your boss on messaging.  Your company leadership may provide talking points or publish news releases. Having a consistent message across departments can help alleviate employee concerns in a larger organization.

Be a conduit for information to your boss.  Whether you report to a Director, Executive Director, VP or the CEO, your boss is one more step removed from what’s happening in the trenches.  Let them know what you’re hearing, what rumors are circulating. Providing this input may lead to a conversation that provides additional information that you can share with your team.

Encourage your team to avoid gossip and speculation.  We know that in the absence of concrete information, our human tendency is to begin imagining possible outcomes and that we often veer toward the most negative scenarios.  But you don’t want to be perceived as the group huddled in the corner exchanging conspiracy theories. Ask your team about rumors they are hearing and, as soon as you can, provide information that confirms, dispels or contradicts the rumors.

Maintain focus.  This is guidance for you and your team.  You want to be known as the team that delivers on your commitments even in uncertain times, when there are multiple distractions.  Make sure every team member is clear about their assignments and is continuing to work on them. Make certain that you and they are frequently reporting status, progress and successes.  If needed, schedule more frequent status updates.

Provide coaching and counseling.  Your team will be looking to you for guidance.  You’re not a therapist, so don’t pretend to be one.  But you may often be in situations where you need to listen to employee concerns and fears.  Sometimes listening is all that’s needed, but you can use these conversations as opportunities to reflect back what you’re hearing, ask questions and provide encouragement.  If an employee seems overly troubled, encourage them to seek expert help and make suggestions about resources they can draw on.

One Big Don’t

During this time you will probably be tempted to say comforting things like “Everything will be all right.”  My guidance: Don’t do it. Don’t offer blanket assurances unless you know for certain they are valid.  You want to be positive and optimistic about the future, as in “I’m sure there will be an end to this situation.”  But avoid false assurances, like “I don’t think there’s any way the layoffs could affect our team.” If you don’t know, say so.  Don’t speculate.

In Closing

Every manager will have to navigate periods of uncertainty at multiple times in their career.  Every situation will be different, but the tactics suggested above will be helpful to you in a variety of circumstances. If you emphasize facts, focus and results, you’ll help your team come out the other side, into the better times ahead.

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