Leading Through Uncertainty.
This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.
“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security."
Those are the words of American mathematician John Allen Paulos. They’re drawn from his 2003 book “A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market” though they may as well have been written this morning.
It’s natural to crave certainty and security in these uncertain and insecure times—to envision what’s ahead and feel overwhelmed by all we don’t know. And natural it really is: this craving for certainty is a core part of our human nature.
As this BBC article reinforces, the fear of the unknown is often worse than the fear of the known. For example, the fear of losing a job has been shown to take a more significant toll on our health than actually losing a job.
Why? Our brains perceive ambiguity as a threat. As a result, they try to protect us by diminishing our ability to focus on anything other than certainty.
Yet, “uncertainty is the only certainty there is.”
So, how do we deal with it—and how do we communicate through it?
First, accept a certain uncertainty…
Resisting uncertainty won’t work; it will only make it worse. Instead, try acceptance: meeting life where it is and moving forward from there. As in: “This is where we are and what we must deal with.” If you are leading through these uncertain times, accept that there are many unknowns. Focus on communicating what you do know and what you can learn. Commit to understanding situations and taking action where you can. Being a spectator and waiting for uncertainty to pass is a certain formula for increasing anxiety.
But don’t resign yourself to uncertainty.
Just because some aspects of life may feel uncertain, not everything is uncertain. Situations can get better. Clarity can improve. Some levels of uncertainty can pass. Get grounded in what you know for sure and use this grounding to stay focused on what you can do, what you can say, and where you can progress.
And stay focused on reality.
In uncertain times, it is natural to get caught up in what might happen and what could be. Again, our brains are wired as prediction machines, and knowing the future is what they want most naturally to do. However, thoughts of hypothesizing about our future can increase levels of anxiety and lead us to believe that certain things will happen, which can lead to unnecessary pre-emptive actions, unnecessary urgency, and increased anxiety across the team.
There’s a difference between preparing for the future and believing that the worst-case scenario will play out. As Dr. Christine Carter shared via the Greater Good Science Center in 2020:
“It can be helpful for us to consider worst-case scenarios so that we can weigh risks and actively prevent disaster. But when we believe these stressful thoughts, we tend to react emotionally as though the worst case is already happening in real life rather than just in our heads. We grieve for things that we haven’t actually lost, and react to events that are not actually happening. This makes us feel threatened, afraid, and unsafe when we are simply alone with our thoughts.”
So, in this uncertain time, take back a certain control of what is happening.
Be aware of the present state and support your colleagues and team as they navigate it.
Take actions that contribute to positive well-being and the future you seek, whether advocating for a policy change, proactively supporting your team’s well-being, or reigning in your digital media consumption.
And remember this: the opposite of uncertainty isn’t certainty- it’s presence. You’re here now. And I am grateful for that. Let’s do what we can with what we know.
Bottom line: We may not be able to predict the future or reduce the uncertainty of what’s ahead, but we can remain grounded in the certainty of what’s right in front of us, taking stock of what we know, showing appreciation for who we have, and taking positive action at this moment. You may find that your actions calm someone else’s sense of uncertainty.
This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.
