Michael Flannery is president of Windstream Enterprise.
Pointing to forces like inflation, geopolitical turmoil, climate disasters and rapid technological advances, the International Monetary Fund recently observed how destabilizing the current elevated state of global uncertainty can be, saying it “can exacerbate risks of financial market turmoil, delay consumption and investment decisions by people and businesses, and prompt lenders to tighten the credit supply.”
As part of an executive team that leads an internet and communications technology company, one of the most important aspects of my job is to find ways to harness uncertainty on behalf of our shareholders, employees, customers and the communities we serve. How can we use it as fuel to build value and power growth? Here are some of the ways we’re doing that within our organization and how you can, too.
Recognize that people crave certainty and comfort.
Human beings aren’t always quick to embrace change, particularly when it takes us out of our comfort zone. It can create feelings of inertia and powerlessness, and make us question our value. The first step toward overcoming these feelings is to recognize they’re real and not to judge ourselves and others for having them.
Control the controllables.
Events like a merger, policy changes or weather-related disasters are beyond our control as individuals. Once we reframe and realize we can’t control macro factors like these, then we can begin to recognize the things we can control: how we show up in life and at work, in terms of the effort, mindshare and empathy we give.
The more we focus on the stuff we can control, the better equipped we’ll be to tune out the noise and proactively shape our experiences at work and in other parts of our lives.
Own it.
This is a mindset where you choose wholehearted commitment and accountability individually and to the people around you, then embody that commitment with your actions. In the workplace, this is about reminding yourself and the people around you of the principles that guide you, your organization and its culture.
Top to bottom, as leaders and as employees, everything you do and all the decisions you make should be processed through that lens—with the customer always at the center. You can make a commitment to a brand, an organization, a team, a leader and a goal or objective. But first, you have to make a commitment to be accountable to yourself to show up as your best self.
View a changing situation as an opportunity.
Why me? Why now? What’s next? Those are the kinds of questions people ask when faced with the uncertainty that comes with change. And our imaginations are liable to fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios.
In instances like these, it’s vital to recognize that each of us has a choice about how we frame the change we’re facing. Little good—but plenty of bad—can come from choosing to feel and act like a victim. Instead, sit with the reality of the situation for a moment and try to reframe it by asking a different set of questions.
What opportunities could this new reality create for me? How can I make the best of this situation? What happens if I embrace this change instead of resisting it? Rather than shrinking from the change at hand, identify where it gives you an opportunity to add value and commit to doggedly pursuing that opportunity.
Seize the chance to build your personal brand.
Leaders want people who, instead of resisting change and shrinking in the face of uncertainty, treat it as an opportunity to grow personally and add value to the organization. Leaders love these kinds of people because their individual traits are valuable, but also because people like this, when they embrace change, tend to inspire others to do likewise.
In my interactions with employees across our organization, I position change as a golden opportunity for them to build their own personal brand, so they are viewed as people who thrive in uncertain times and who are unafraid of change, hard work and having a willingness to put team before self.
Because they ultimately will be judged on their track record—the value their work produces for the organization as well as their effort—I urge them to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to quality in the work they do, even under less-than-ideal circumstances. These aspects of your personal brand will make you a valuable, desirable commodity in the eyes of employers and within your network of co-workers, customers and peers across whatever industry it is that you reside in today.
Understand the ‘why’ behind the new and unknown.
Working in technology, I hear it all the time: People wonder if artificial intelligence will marginalize the work they do or automate them out of a job. My response to them is to explain that AI won’t replace or marginalize them; it will help them do their jobs better by taking mundane or time-consuming tasks off their plates, thus increasing their capacity for higher-value work.
I suggest that organizations and their leaders establish employee education and training programs that demystify AI and help people understand AI’s potential application within the company and within their teams specifically.
Create an open dialogue in which employees are encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns about things that are foreign and unfamiliar, ask questions, provide input about where and how they see these things bringing value to the business and their work, and even take part in the process of evaluating their role in it all. The goal: Get people curious about the unknown and actively engaged in the process of integrating it into their lives and business.
This helps to foster an organizational culture that’s built to thrive even in the most volatile, unpredictable and deeply challenging circumstances.
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