The Cost of Worry and Uncertainty and (what you can do about it)
New leadership is often one of the biggest drivers of worry and uncertainty, both for the employees and the new leader themselves. This is because new leadership typically brings about changes and a shift in organizational culture, which can understandably lead to anxiety and stress for those involved.
While extremely normal, it’s not so great for innovative ability, productivity, or profitability, especially during disruptive or challenging times.
For employees, a new leader may bring uncertainty about their job security or the direction of the organization. They may worry about whether the new leader will have the same values and priorities as the previous leader, or whether they will be able to work effectively with the new leader.
Similarly, for the new leader, taking on a new role can be overwhelming and stressful. They may worry about whether they will be able to live up to the expectations of the organization, the board, and the employees, or whether they will be able to effectively lead the organization through the changes that are necessary.
Of all Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physical needs (food, shelter, clothing etc.) and safety (employment, health, housing, etc.) are most vital before all else. This sheds some light on the potential loss that can occur when fear and uncertainty are running high.
According to Gallup’s 2022 Global Report, north of 7.8 trillion dollars a year is lost to decreased engagement. What percentage is attributed to worry and uncertainty? Hard to say exactly, but it’s certainly not helping the bottom line.
We human beings like to feel in control, so it’s important to create it. Here are a few ways to do just that for yourself or for your team:
1.Acknowledge the fear or worry and use it!
What can you learn from fear and worry if it were to whisper in your ear ‘I know we are in uncertain times and that there may be/are changes coming. What’s the best thing to do to make yourself invaluable/add value or what’s the best course of action?
Of course, this is no guarantee, but it does give you/your team the best shot of staying extremely relevant and productive. Confronting fear and worry head on defuses it. Ignoring it only builds it in your mind and dilutes your unique area of brilliance and ability to be productive.
2.Carve out uninterrupted strategy time.
Unplug, walk, meditate, observe your surroundings, and then write down what comes to you when you get back. Where or with whom can you add value, push in a better direction, make a case for a change? Pay more attention to your gut and heart and less to your head.
3.De-cide!
If you’ve been around the Limitless Leader community for a while, you know that the literal meaning of de-cide means ‘death of’. I like to say, ‘death of any other option’. You de-cide your highest sense of integrity, how you’ll act daily, and how you'll lead based on your passion, purpose, and vision. By creating your own North Star, you be less phased by the uncertainty around you and better able to focus on your highest contribution.
Of course, transparency about impending change is ideal but when that’s not possible, creating our own certainty gives us our best shot at staying calm, focused, and as valuable as possible.
If you’d like to gain clarity on ‘what’s next’ and then get a plan in place for yourself or your team to build the confidence and influence to see it through, I’d love to help.
Schedule your Get Acquainted call here
Cheering you on always,
Sheryl
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