It’s one thing to lead through a normal range of uncertainty with its ups and downs. But how do you lead when the inflections, disruptions, dislocations, and other threat conditions pile up? While leaders have little to no control over the external competitive environment, they have astonishing influence over the internal performance environment, including employee engagement, morale, and productivity. How can leaders help their people flourish during extreme uncertainty? Here are some practical strategies to help you engage employees under the most unforgiving of circumstances.

Communicate clearly, simply, frequently. A crisis limits people’s capacity to absorb information in the early days. Focus on keeping employees safe and healthy. To convey crucial information to employees, keep messages simple, to the point and actionable. People tend to pay more attention to positively framed information; negative information can erode trust. Frame instructions as “dos” (best practices and benefits) rather than “don’ts” (what people shouldn’t do, or debunking myths).

Choose candor over charisma. Be honest about where things stand, differentiating clearly between what is known and unknown, and don’t minimize or speculate. Give people a behind-the-scenes view of the different options you are considering and involve stakeholders when making operational decisions, if possible. Judiciously share your own feelings and acknowledge the personal effects of emotional turmoil. Remember that what you do matters as much as what you say in building trust, and scrutiny of leaders’ actions is magnified during a crisis.

Go from surviving to thriving. One of the most important personal attributes for any executive operating in high-stress and high-uncertainty environments is the ability to be effective under pressure. It starts with turning outward, not inward.

  • Leaders who do well under pressure do not isolate. They pull in the team, access internal resources, and reach out to external advisors. They seek input and triangulate ideas to shape their working hypothesis.
  • Leaders engage stakeholders early and often, bringing others along as they move through ambiguity. They communicate by setting nonstop context. When people do not know what is going on, they freeze. But when leaders give them enough direction to create micro-certainty, people will unlock and start moving again.
  • Finally, leaders employ the hardest skill of all: absorption. The ability to absorb pressure and uncertainty without passing it on. When leaders do this well, they create a calmer and more focused environment that gives the people around them space to contribute and think clearly.

Growth Mindset. Growth-minded executives show up with a “learn-it-all” approach. They are wired to figure it out. Even when things are hard, and the path forward is unclear. They hold a deep belief that the team collectively can solve what is in front of them. And they do not wait for perfect answers. They come with hypotheses, iterate on ideas, pressure test with reliable colleagues, and adjust their think to deliver the best outcome. They move constantly, therefore leading with speed and efficiency over time.

There is no escaping uncertainty right now. But how we approach it changes how we experience it. Relying on these practices will help to infuse understanding and meaning in communities, helping to carry an organization through a crisis with a renewed sense of purpose and trust. Leaders who manage pressure well, stay outward-focused, and carry a growth mindset do not just weather the storm. They become a source of stability for their teams. And in doing so, they can manage to better outcomes for their teams and organizations.

 

References:
Forbes (2025, April 4) Stephen Miles: Change is the Only Constant: Leading Through Uncertainty and Pressure
Harvard Business Review (2024, February 28) Timothy R. Clark: What Employees Need from Leaders in Uncertain Times
McKinsey & Company (2020, June 18) Ana Mendy, Mary Lass Stewart, and Katie Van Akin: How to Communicate Effectively in Times of Uncertainty