off the mat
Lead Through Turbulent Times There is no time that begs for strong, effective leadership more than during times of incredible instability, turmoil and change. Organizations at the best of times require people, regardless of title, to step into the ring and demonstrate the courage to lead their peers, their subordinates and their organizations. There’s no question that 2020 was an unprecedented year. A year where nothing was left untouched; global politics, the economy, how we interact, how we celebrate with each other, how we live and even how we grieve. The anxiety the year has unearthed has reached its long fingers of influence into the business world.
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Why is leadership so critical during times of uncertainty and unpredictability? Because if we want our people to succeed and be able to perform on a daily basis, we need to have environments that are predictable and create a sense of certainty in order for the brain to perform efficiently. In this context, a “leader” is not an organizational power based upon position responsibilities, although they bear a large burden for business outcomes as a result of their position, and as such need to be able to pull the best from their teams. A “leader” includes any of those frontline people who have developed a deep sense of resilience, a character of service, and an ability to maintain their
energy throughout the chaos created by the unpredictability and uncertainty, affording them the opportunity to support and influence their peers. Now, let’s get back to the brain. The brain’s job is to help us get through the day in the easiest way possible while expending the least amount of energy. It needs predictability and a sense of certainty to accomplish this. These things enable the brain to assess everyday situations, allowing a person to perform a task effectively and efficiently. When the brain is faced with an unpredictable environment, it places the brain in a state where it believes it is in a life and death situation and has to prepare the body to physically
Psychologist Abraham Maslow provided a hierarchy of needs that influence our performance and effectiveness—this is useful in contemplating how you’re setting employees up for success or stress. 66 // march/april 2021
