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7 Steps To Deal With Uncertainty At Work
The current economic situation means that many professionals are facing increasing uncertainty. How can we resist the temptation to limit performance by ultra-cautious behavior? Instead, how can we rise above the uncertainty and find the opportunities on offer?
We live in an unpredictable world. Sometimes the uncertainty is exciting and stimulating. Other times it is intimidating and limiting.
Sometimes work brings more uncertainty than we think we can handle. We like our future to be largely predictable so we can design and plan our successes. Unwelcome changes threaten our sense of security and well-being.
When this happens, the future seems to be particularly risky so a typical response is to ‘play safe’. The temptation is to close down horizons, cling to familiar habits and batten down the hatches to ride out the storm.
Sometimes people use the term ‘uncertain future’ to describe their experience yet this is pure tautology - the future by its very nature is uncertain. Our attempts at prediction are, at best, informed guesswork.
Of course, some things are more predictable than others - the sun will very likely set tonight - yet in our own lives there is always a large dose of the unknown. Rather than pretending it is not there, how can we equip ourselves better to deal with it?
Think of those rare people you have met that can deal with whatever life throws at them. You just know that whatever happens, they will be able to handle it. This can’t be the result of prediction and planning but a fundamental belief in their own powers and being OK about not knowing what is going to happen next.
The way ahead for us is to become more versatile. When we have a wider range of behaviours to draw on, and the confidence to use them, we can be more flexible in our needs and responses.
Here are 7 strategies you can use to build your ‘flexibility muscles’:
1. Remember you have choices. You don’t need to be a passive victim of circumstance; you can be proactive in the way you engage with reality around you
2. Expand your creativity - enlarge your horizons, experiment with new ideas and meet new people. Engage in activities you have not tried before. Ask yourself ‘What if ...’ questions
3. Create new habits - ones that generate enthusiasm and energy. Deliberately break from patterns of behavior that have become too familiar. For example, read a book that people who know you well would not associate with you. Be creative - what else could you do differently?
4. Look for the learning in every experience. What is working well? What could be better next time?
5. Believe that change brings opportunity. When one door shuts, another opens. Be vigilant because it might not be where you expect it
6. Look for ways to manage risk rather than avoid it. Choose your wave and surf it
7. Boost your energy. Look after you health. Avoid energy vampires who drain your energy. Ration how much ‘news’ you expose yourself to. Spend more time with those people and activities that inspire you
As your flexibility grows, with a wider range of behaviour and thinking, so does your competence and confidence to engage the future. You can become comfortable with not knowing.