Think about the kinds of challenges CEOs face every single day — challenges that go beyond the internal workings of their companies. They face things like economic volatility, rapid technological advancements, shifting consumer demands, regulatory and compliance complexities, talent acquisition and retention, geopolitical instability, cybersecurity threats, disruption from agile startups, public trust and reputation management, and more.
That is an extensive and incredibly complex array of topics and it seems overwhelming for one person to address. Such a mélange requires character traits like resilience, agility, decisiveness, and the ability to balance long-term needs with short-term challenges.
Frankly, it’s simply too much for one person. Executives aren’t on the front line executing; they manage other leaders. And good leaders rely on the advice and counsel of others in their orbit.
In my executive coaching practice, I work with leaders and teams in flux, because of that need for perspective. I like using flux rather than uncertainty as a term, because it is time-bound. Flux indicates that the challenges are temporary, and gives us hope as we dig out way out of them, together.
Working Together
Togetherness and collaboration are essential to overcoming uncertainty. No single one of us has all of the answers or can determine what the future may hold. But when we create a vision and a plan, share our values, include all stakeholders, execute consistently, and communicate relentlessly, we create trust in each other and a way forward.
