During times of change or challenge, people naturally look to their leaders
for clarity.
What is changing? What does it mean for me? What happens next?
But leaders don’t always have the full picture.
Change can come from within an organization or from forces beyond its
control. Increasingly, navigating change and uncertainty is simply part of
everyday leadership. A recent survey reflects this reality, ranking supporting
change and agility among organizations’ top business challenges—and leading
change and adaptability among today’s most important leadership capabilities.
Change is the circumstance.
Uncertainty is the human experience of not knowing what that
circumstance will mean.
A new strategic direction may make sense for the organization while leaving
an employee wondering whether their role will change. A shift in priorities may
be necessary while still creating uncertainty about how the change will affect
day-to-day work.
Even when leaders understand the broader rationale, they may not yet know
how every decision will unfold.
That is what makes leading through uncertainty so challenging. Leaders must
navigate what is unknown while still providing direction, support, and
stability for their people.
They may not have every answer. But they can influence how people experience
uncertainty by communicating honestly, staying curious, and adapting their
leadership to what people need.
When the Honest Answer Is “I Don’t Know,” Practice Candor
Imagine a significant organizational change has just been announced. Details
are still emerging, and one of your team members asks:
“Do you know if our roles are going to change?”
You don’t know.
The information has not been decided or communicated yet. So you answer honestly:
“I don’t know yet.”
You explain what you do know, acknowledge what remains unclear, and commit
to sharing more information when it becomes available.
It may be the most honest and responsible answer you can give.
Still, uncertainty remains—for the employee and for you.
And when uncertainty feels uncomfortable, leaders can be tempted to fill the
gap. They may offer reassurance they cannot guarantee, make predictions based
on limited information, interpret incomplete details, or rush toward a solution
simply to create a sense of certainty.
The problem is that false certainty can undermine trust.
Saying “I don’t know” is not a sign of weak leadership. When paired with
transparency about what you do know and what you are doing to learn
more, it can demonstrate humility, credibility, and confidence.
The real leadership challenge is not eliminating uncertainty.
It is understanding what people need when important answers are not
yet available.
Is There More Behind the Question? Practice Curiosity
A question about change may sound straightforward, but there can be a deeper
concern underneath it.
Consider these questions:
· “Will
my role change?”
This could be a request for information—or a concern about whether years of
expertise will still be valued.
· “How
long will this take?”
This could be about timing—or it could signal exhaustion and concern about how
much more change the person can absorb.
· “Why
are we doing this now?”
This could reflect a desire to understand the business case—or concern that
leadership does not fully understand the impact on the team.
Leaders should not assume they know what is behind the question.
Instead, they can get curious.
Asking a thoughtful follow-up question can reveal what the person actually
needs.
For example:
“I’m not yet clear whether roles will change. What about that
possibility is weighing on you most?”
That question may uncover concerns about an employee’s value, identity, or
future with the organization.
Or:
“We’re still learning more about the timeline. What would be most helpful
for you to understand right now?”
That conversation may reveal competing priorities, workload concerns, or
limited time and energy.
Another approach might be:
“We know this change supports our organizational goals. What impact
do you think it could have on you and the team?”
The answer could surface practical information that helps leaders anticipate
challenges and make the transition smoother.
Curiosity does not mean having all the right questions or trying to solve
every concern immediately.
It means being willing to explore what is really going on before deciding
what to do about it.
Does the Same Question Require a Different Answer? Adapt Your Response
The same organizational change can affect people in very different ways—even
when they work on the same team.
That means effective leadership cannot always rely on a one-size-fits-all
response.
Imagine the employee who asked, “Will my role change?” explains:
“I’ve spent years building expertise in this work. I’m worried that
what I’m good at may not be what the company needs anymore.”
A leader might immediately respond with courses to take, skills to develop,
assessments to complete, or a development plan.
Those suggestions may eventually be valuable.
But they may not be what the employee needs in that moment.
Perhaps the person first needs to express the fear, feel heard, and know
that their leader understands what is at stake.
Now imagine another employee asks the exact same question because they are
eager to prepare for what comes next.
For that person, an action-oriented response—with clear next steps,
resources, and development opportunities—may be exactly what is needed.
The question may be the same. The leadership response should not
necessarily be.
Leading through uncertainty requires leaders to recognize that people have
different experiences, concerns, and levels of readiness. Effective leaders
adapt their approach rather than assuming everyone needs the same kind of
support.
But leading with candor, curiosity, and adaptability can
help you understand the real concern and respond to the actual need—not the
assumption you made about it.
You don’t need to have all the answers to lead effectively through
uncertainty. You need to be willing to navigate the unknown with your people.
Want to Explore Further?
Leading through uncertainty draws on a range of leadership capabilities.
Explore Blanchard learning solutions such as Leading
People Through Change® and Conversational
Capacity®, along with our personal
effectiveness resources.
Best wishes,
Yogesh