One of the hardest parts of leadership is knowing your team is looking for answers you don’t always have.
The world is constantly changing. There are always new regulations, shifting markets and evolving technologies. It’s exhausting!
Everyone always wants to know what’s next and leadership is expected to provide clarity in the middle of uncertainty. But people don’t actually need leaders to predict the future. It’s more important to be a leader people trust to navigate new experiences alongside them.
We’re living through a period of significant change, and there are two conversations happening at the same time. The first conversation is about strategy, which most professionals have a script for. The second conversation is about fear. And that’s way harder to talk about.
The Conversation Happening in People’s Heads
As leadership teams spend most of their time talking about strategy, most employees spend their time wondering how that big-picture plan will affect them.
People wonder:
Will my role change?
Will my skills still matter?
Am I being prepared for what’s next?
What does this mean for my future here?
Most people never ask those questions directly. But if organizations fail to address them, they start filling in the blanks themselves.
That’s why communication matters so much during periods of change. People deserve to know that they’re part of the conversation.
You Don’t Need to Have All the Answers
One of the most powerful things a leader can say is: “I don’t know exactly what this will look like yet, but we’re going to figure it out together.”
This kind of honesty creates trust. It gives people confidence that even if the destination isn’t completely clear, they won’t be left behind on the journey.
Ask the Questions No One Else Will
Sometimes, the easiest way to make sure that you’re addressing the questions no one wants to ask is by simply… asking the questions yourself.
Make an effort to create space for your team to approach you with their feedback and concerns. Try to create as many opportunities for conversation as possible. Some people might not feel comfortable raising a concern in a full team meeting, so these topics need to be discussed in one-on-ones too.
Some questions you can ask to get people thinking include:
What concerns do you have about the changes we’re discussing?
What parts of your job feel most uncertain right now?
Where do you feel like you need more support?
What are you hearing from clients that leadership may not be hearing?
People are much more likely to embrace change when they feel like they’re helping shape it. And in many cases, employees already know where the friction exists. They know which processes are broken, which tasks are frustrating, and where valuable knowledge gets trapped inside a handful of people.
The challenge is creating an environment where people feel safe enough to share what they know.
That means building enough trust that people keep bringing you the hard questions, the uncomfortable feedback, and the concerns that haven’t been voiced yet.
