Days are number…

Days are numbers its passing by,

Search for life in each passing day,

Life will find you if you stop the numbers,

But catching it going round and round.

Leading Your Team Through Uncertainty

Whether it’s winter season, layoffs, or geopolitical tensions—there is a lot happening in the global economy. How can you make sure you’re successful as a leader through uncertain times? Here are some strategies.

  • Create a humble, “company-first” culture. This entails leading by example and doing what’s right for the business and your people, instead of driving individual agendas or objectives. It also means recognizing that your role extends beyond the individual unit you manage and requires communicating across teams and units.
  • Focus on reinventing the business. When things aren’t “business as usual,” it’s time to look for opportunities to innovate. Be sure that the right minds are assigned to this reinvention—and that the more routine, day-to-day work is delegated to employees you trust to execute it.
  • Be more inclusive. This means prioritizing not only the diversity of your team in terms of gender and ethnicity, but also in terms of viewpoints, backgrounds, and skill sets. The more diverse and inclusive your team is, the more adaptable it will be through uncertain times.

Write Notes of Appreciation to Your Team

Expressing gratitude to your employees can feel awkward or uncomfortable. But celebrating your team members, especially around important holidays, can be a powerful, generous, and motivating gesture. Try writing a card or email that goes beyond a simple thank-you note.

To write an impactful note of appreciation, focus on your employees’ strengths.

Start by highlighting a specific characteristic that you admire about them. Then, explain why you value that attribute, and provide a real-world example of how it positively impacted the team. For example, you might write: “I value your ability to creatively solve problems, turning challenges into opportunities for growth. This ability routinely helps our team unlock innovative ideas.

For example, you found an opportunity to create an entirely new product when our subscription numbers were down.” Notes like these will help your team members see their own abilities through your eyes. They also focus your employees’ attention on what’s going well and signal to them that they really matter.

Does Your Team Vibe Feel Off?

Is your team feeling stuck, stymied, or just a bit stale? Maybe you’ve lost your collective sense of purpose. Maybe interpersonal tensions are building. Or maybe it just doesn’t feel quite like a team anymore. How can you intervene as a manager? Understand that it’s normal for team dynamics to ebb and flow over time and reflect on what exactly feels off. Then decide whether your team ultimately needs to be realigned or revitalized.

To realign your team, start by resetting mandates and goals. Ask yourself and your team: What external trends do we need to adapt to? How should our team’s role and value shift as the organization evolves around us? Adapt your targets and metrics accordingly—and reevaluate your strategies, workflows, and individual responsibilities to optimize for these new goals.

To revitalize your team, start by auditing your communication habits. Your ultimate goal is to establish new ground rules that make collaboration simpler and more respectful. What’s working? What’s causing friction? Don’t be afraid to redesign your communication channels and expectations to reflect the needs of your team. (This includes rethinking your team’s meeting culture, too.)