The future looms with greater uncertainty now than ever before. Entrepreneurs are discovering that adaptive behaviors and team cohesion are factors that increase business resiliency during times of stress and anxiety. Here are three characteristics that are key to weathering any crisis.
Communication and Collaboration
Supervisors, managers and leaders must foster open communication between all team members. Doing so enhances trust, encourages information sharing and creative collaboration, and also maintains strategic focus. Setting up a regular routine in which all employees are reminded of their roles and tasks will allow for clarity when situations evolve beyond certainty.
Curiosity
When the future is uncertain, it is difficult to predict market fluctuations. John Sanei, chief exponential officer at Future Self Academy urges leaders to foster their sense of curiosity. Doing so places an organization at the forefront of new developments. If you foster your team's curiosity, then the products and services that are generated from that space will lead consumers and clients into the best versions of themselves. In less-than-curious scenarios, your organizations could be chasing the curve rather than leading it.
Maintain a Positive Outlook
The Stockdale Paradox is a phrase that is gaining popularity among entrepreneurs like Erik Kruger, founder of Modern Breed and expert in behavioral and mindset shifts. According to Kruger, the Stockdale Paradox is a mindset that holds optimism in the same place as a harsh reality. A person with a Stockdale mindest is capable of believing that everything will work out but still is painfully aware of a situation's hardships.
One way to maintain a Stockdale mindset is to create a buffer against uncertainty. Your business environment may be in flux, but maintaining time with friends and family helps to retain resiliency. Winnie Hart, brand strategist and CEO of TwinEngine, believes that leading with compassion is a characteristic of strength during periods of uncertainty. Take time to exercise, think and center yourself. Give your team time to do the same.
Finally, adaptability means letting go of past performances. What proved successful in the past cannot be replicated now or in the future. Current contexts matter. Deliver on the promises you made to your clients and customers by remaining positive and flexible during these exciting times.
