How Passionate Leaders Navigate Uncertainty

Uncertainty and change, being related, are two things that keep my nonprofit and service entrepreneurs clients up at night. Change always involves uncertainty and uncertainty is triggered because change seems to a constant.

So what is Passionate Leadership and how can it bolster the skills needed to effectively navigate uncertainty?

Passionate leadership is a way of being that injects positive energy for both Purpose and People in order to create the Power that fuels Maximum Impact. In other words, for your organization or team to create the most impact, you dear leader, must embrace positive energy for both what you do (your mission) AND for leading those who are teaming with you to accomplish that mission.

In my experience, it often seems easier to be passionate about the mission than about leading people. Why? Because leading people whose behavior is complex and influenced by a variety of factors, is ripe with uncertainty. The truth is leading people can be a messy business.

In a world where uncertainty is the norm, how can you, a leader who is passionate about your mission, increase positive energy in your leadership? Let’s answer that through the lens of the Six Pillars of Passionate Leadership.

Pillar 1 – Deep Appreciation for Self and Others
One mitigator for uncertainty is resilience. Passionate leaders begin with self-awareness and extend this understanding to their team. The ability to understand and appreciate your strengths, as well as, the unique qualities of each team member lays the foundation for effective leadership. Deep appreciation fosters a sense of unity and creates a supportive environment where individuals feel valued, thereby, fostering a collective resilience against uncertainty.

Pillar 2 – Positive Growth Mindset
The ability to adapt and evolve are essential to success in times of uncertainty. Passionate leaders believe in the ability of themselves and others to learn and grow while consistently seeking the sometimes hidden gift or opportunity in every situation. This mindset fosters a culture of continuous improvement where setbacks, which are inevitable in times of uncertainty, are seen as stepping stones towards greater success.

Pillar 3 – Dynamic Vision Focus
A clear vision is a beacon that helps organizations pierce the fog of uncertainty. Passionate leaders effectively communicate and stay attuned to the vision while adopting an adequately flexible (dynamic) approach to fulfill the vision. In uncertain times, clear vision and expressive adaptability create strong teams.
 
Pillar 4 – Embodied Trust
Fostering a high level of trust worthiness builds a cohesive team capable of weathering uncertainty together. Passionate leaders employ transparent communication, positive relationships, good judgment, consistency in actions and commitment to shared values to establish and maintain trust. 

Pillar 5 – Inspired Action
In times of uncertainty, passionate leaders must be able to take action with a calm, clear-headed focus. In such times, knee jerk reactions don’t often trigger the best outcomes. Conversely, dialing up curiosity when the unexpected happens and remaining calm when responding to crises inspire creative actions that lead to better and more sustainable results.

Pillar 6 – Celebrated Results
Cultivating a positive and motivating team culture fuels the drive to tackle future uncertainties. Passionate leaders build in celebration all along the results journey. They consistently find reasons to celebrate progress and use setbacks to create learning opportunities. 

The six pillars of Passionate Leadership are the foundational practices for those who are dedicated to both the purpose and people they lead. These are the pillars of strength for a passionate leader.

What uncertainties are you and your organization facing today? Which pillar, if you focused on it immediately, would most help you and your team navigate through the uncertainty?

_______________________

Passionate Leadership
is who you're being as you're leading.

About the Author

Gayle Ely is a Leadership Coach, Trainer and Facilitator and founder of Total Life Leadership. At Total Life Leadership, we partner with purpose-driven non-profit leaders and service entrepreneurs to help them answer the question “How Do I Become a Better Leader?”

Using The Six Pillars of Passionate Leadership, we equip leaders to be the best they can be.  The result is a passionate leader whose team and organization are operating for maximum impact.

Explore what’s getting in the way of passion in your leadership. Schedule an exploratory conversation. There is no cost and lots of value.