What to Do When Your Business is in Transition

You are at a critical juncture in your business, and you feel it.

Perhaps you are already clear about the change in direction that’s on the horizon. Maybe you know the what, when, and how or maybe you don’t—details are yet to be determined. Either way, strong and effective leadership is needed—NOW.

Right now. Not in some ambiguous future, where dates and details force you to act. Now is the only moment you have. Today is the day to be the leader your people need you to be. And here are a few empowering steps in that direction.

1. Choose Clarity Above Certainty. You cannot always be certain. Things change, people move, details evolve… But you can provide clarity for today.

• “As of this moment, here’s what I know…”
• “Instead of focusing on the unknown, let’s focus what we can control, today.”
• “Here’s what we can do in the in-between…”
• “You probably feel that change is in the air. It is. But there is still so much to be worked out that it’s useless to think about future change. What we do is we focus on the positive changes and progress that we can make today. Such as…”
• “As of today, this is our team, these are our roles, and this is what we are accountable to do. So let’s do that today with excellence.”

2. Support Structures and Systems. Invest in tools and resources help you bring clarity and focus to your structures, systems, and processes. How can you make it better? How can what you do become more clear, efficient, and effective? If there is change coming, defining roles, seats, expectations, processes, and priorities will only serve you—no matter what direction things go from here. (If you’re not running your business on EOS, now is the time.)
3. Be Open and Honest. People know when you’re hiding something. So don’t. If there are things you cannot say, just say that. But share the information you can as you can. Honor your people with transparent communication and they will honor you in the same way.
4. Embrace Enthusiasm for Change. Change is inevitable. Everything is continually changing around us. New things are coming to be as old things are passing away. This is the nature of the life we live and the world we live in. Embrace that reality with enthusiasm. Coach yourself up until you ooze optimistic enthusiasm toward the mystery that is “the future”.
5. Empower Your Team. When people feel any sense of fear or frustration because of uncertainty, they—often subconsciously—shrink back in their roles. This is the time to empower them even more, and help them to support each other. Show them how valuable they are and how their role fits into the bigger picture. Give them new responsibility or more access to you or to helpful information. Help them to envision how their role can evolve or increase in the future. Show them ways they support their colleagues to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes, for the greater good.

We’re all connected and we need each. Especially during uncertain or changing times.

Taking action on these five things will shift your leadership presence and energy in your organization, helping you lead more effectively—right now and regardless of what happens next.