Overcome the Distraction of Uncertainty

Don't let uncertainly throw your organization into a downward spiral. Face the uncertaintly head on ... acknowledge it, then refocus and simplify.

Refocus on the organization's core purpose, the changing circumstances and the desired achievements. Build from strengths and be brutally honest in the discovery. Resist the urge to circle the wagons and limit the conversation to a few; rather, engage your stakeholders in the conversation. Make them part of the discovery and help them see themselves in the solution. Create a framework for progress that is simple: easy to understand, focused and short. Something on which people can build and within which there is the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. And, do it quickly. Make a commitment to recharging the organization and dedicate some time to make it so. You won't short-change the process by moving swiftly, though you might realize more success faster and more frequently by taking action!

Challenging times call for more clarity, curiosity, commitment and communication. Regain focus by accepting you may need to refocus and use uncertainty to your organization's advantage by letting it spark some curiosity about new ways to achieve success. The resulting conversations can yield necessary commitment that you can communicate clearly and consistently to your stakeholders, demonstrating progress along the way.

Thanks to Octavio Ballesta for sparking this post.