How to Navigate Turmoil without Sinking the Boat
Unresolved turmoil weakens the knees and squelches creativity.
The companions of turmoil are frustration, helplessness, and regret.
Four sources of turmoil:
#1. Mandates from disconnected leadership. The people at the helm seem stupid when they’re disconnected from the people who row the boat.
#2. Delay. Out-dated processes lead to inefficient habits. Survival demands change.
#3. Improvement. One person’s improvement is another’s disaster.
#4. Conflicting agendas. People pull against each other when direction is foggy and values collide.
4 ways to navigate turmoil:
#1. Walk around. Talk. The worst thing you can do is armor-up and hunker-down during turmoil.
A client of mine challenged himself to walk around for 30 minutes a day. People wondered what was wrong during the first week. But by the third week, he started having real conversations.
- Get to know people.
- Listen, don’t try to fix everything.
- Be curious.
- Don’t minimize frustrations or you’ll seem out of touch.
#2. Focus on others. “It’s not about you,” applies double during organizational turmoil. Look outward.
#3. Pour energy into things within your control. Frustration focuses on things it doesn’t want and can’t control.
People want you to eliminate turbulence, control upper-management, and make them happy. You can’t.
Events and people you can’t control keep you up at night. What can you control?
#4. Choose how to show up.
When you walk into the office, decide how you want to occur to your team. Perhaps today is a day for humility, curiosity, candor, empathy, or confidence.
Turmoil is the reason to bring your best self to work.
Remember who you are. Turn people toward authentic identity. What do people like us do in situations like this?
What are some sources of organizational turmoil?
How might leaders successful navigate turmoil?
Awesome points! Unfortunately for me, this is about 2 years too late. BUT- I will use this new found wisdom going forward. Your posts are always inspiring.
Thanks Michael. It’s all about going forward. 🙂
When one learns to do this, “don’t try to fix everything” the stress lessens, the day appears clearer, smiles occur more and you actually become healthier. The challenge is actually stopping yourself from attempting to fix it all.
Thanks Roger. Yes, the stress leaders feel is often self-imposed. It comes from the wrong belief that they need all the answers. It’s very freeing when you learn how to trust the skill and talent of others. (And still be accountable, of course.)
Dan, how do people survive under a disconnected leader, and constant turmoil as the rules change daily?
Thanks Beth. Great question. I think I’ll write about it. Stay tuned.
How DO people normally navigate turmoil?
They socialize the risks while privatizing the benefits.
This is the dynamic origin of organizational dysfunction.
Woe be to those that point out that the strategy (social benefit) and execution (individual actions/tactics) are at odds (not in alignment).
Thanks Rurbane. This happens more than we would like to acknowledge. When the people at the top are in it for themselves, everyone learns that survival depends on self-interest.
The turmoil in an organization can be long lasting and the solutions mentioned can help the healing but I also believe it needs to be looked at fast in terms of leadership action. I agree with the method of asking specifically about the issues to employees and understanding the problem. I also see the value in not pursuing new projects/initiatives without understanding the collective feelings of the ‘rowers’