5 Ways to Lead Your Team Through Change

During times of change and uncertainty, your team needs you to lead effectively. Leadership U reminds you that these are usually the times when peoples’ emotions run high and emphasizes the importance of meeting them where they are now – not where they were last week or where you wish they were. Teams need stability, and the only way to do that is by recognizing where they are and meeting them there, lending support where needed to fortify everyone.

Build trust; make an authentic connection; use empathy to foster positivity; be inclusive.

Get inspired with tips from Korn Ferry Inclusive Leadership experts on how to lead a team through change.

TIP 1: Understanding today will help accurately project tomorrow.

Leaders are taking stock across their organizations as they listen to what people are thinking, feeling, fearing, and experiencing today. Only by understanding the current picture can leaders accurately project tomorrow. Where do we need to be in the next 12, 18, or 24 months? What will the world of work look like?

TIP 2: Now is not the time for perfection.

Ambiguity can’t be solved with perfection. Agility is key. It might sound counterintuitive, but don’t wait for all the information before making decisions. This also isn’t the time to debate strategy over multiple quarters. Take quick decisive action and don’t be afraid to adapt on the way. In times of uncertainty, it’s better to have a nearly-there strategy that is 100% executable. Practice being imperfect.

TIP 3: Vulnerability is actually a strength for leaders.

Vulnerable leaders provoke organizational curiosity. They inspire people to take risks, learn from failure, and respond more creatively. Don’t just tell what to do, empower them to think. This is what creates a culture of “collective genius.”

TIP 4: Humility encourages collective genius

Leaders need to be confident, but too much self-confidence can narrow your peripheral vision. Humility is the secret to staying aware, alert, and nimble. It speaks in powerful phrases—“I’ve never thought of that”. “Tell me more”. “Who knows more?”—this is how to encourage collective genius.

TIP 5: Questions to help you get perspective

Now is the time to reach out and connect with your people. Self-awareness is the way to move toward who you want to be—rather than solely worrying about who you are going to be. Here are some questions that can give you perspective:

• Am I showing empathy to others?
• How have I contributed positivity or negativity to others?
• Does someone feel better after an interaction with me versus how they felt before?
• How many times today did I complain about someone or something?
• Did shared interest rise above self-interest?
• Did I listen more—or talk more?
• What did I learn this week?
• How many times did I simply say thank you?