How to Lead Your Team Through Uncertainty at Work
Uncertainty is a bitch! And especially uncertainty at work, which threatens your basic need of safety and security from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, can be crippling and a productivity destroyer. It feels awful, it brings on a lot of stress and anxiety and everyone reacts differently. Feelings like overwhelm, anxiety, sadness, panic and fear are not desired in any workplace! All these reactions are perfectly normal, although bad for everyone’s health.
But as a leader of a team, you must hold your reaction for yourself, be a good example of calmness and positivity and help your team through the uncertainty.
Process the situation and your emotions
Do you remember the Oxygen Mask Rule you hear every time you are on a plane? It goes something like this: “Should the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead area. Please place the mask over your own mouth and nose before assisting others.”. It is a very good rule for life.
To take care of others, you need to be OK first.
Especially in stressful and anxiety-inducing situations such as any type of uncertainty, you should first process your emotions, healthily deal with them, acknowledge how you are feeling and what is happening.
