Storms From Every Compass Point

Disruption. Seems it’s a pervasive theme these days.

Geopolitical. Economic. Technological. Workforce.

These aren't a single storm coming from one direction. They're arriving from every compass point simultaneously. And they’re feeding each other:  Goading each to greater momentum, greater force, greater consequence.

I’m not surprised at the nervousness I observe:

• Pressure for increased productivity

• ROI that isn't materializing

• Resistance to change driven by fear of layoffs

• Layoffs

For many leaders the instincts rise:  Hold on tighter! Be more resolute! Maintain control! Have answers for problems that aren’t understood, and directions for routes uncharted.

The single captain of the ship model: Facing a single storm from a single direction.  Challenging though it might be, there is some predictability.

Is any individual leader capable of navigating into today’s turbulence?

After linking the team objectives to the organizational “north star”, 

What if the leader’s objective was to build an expanded “radar system”: activating every mind on the team, all eyes on the horizon, alert to signals?

What if the next job was to influence and encourage the collective capacity to see through ambiguity and recognize not only challenges but opportunity within the disruption?

And what if the leader's role in these moments was to unlock the creativity and innovation within the team to seize opportunities with enthusiasm?

What if the leader’s job was to build resilient, adaptive teams that were generating the change that drives productivity, rather than reacting to it?