Uncertainty Undermines Your Leadership
Jan 11, 2026
Have you ever made a strategic decision only to have the ground shift beneath you the next day?
Were you surprised when your carefully crafted plan became obsolete before you could implement it?
You have an uncertainty crisis that paralyzes rather than propels, and organizations with clearly articulated visions are 2.7 times more likely to achieve their strategic objectives during these chaotic times.
The Certainty Addiction
Think about how deeply the need for certainty infiltrates your leadership:
You crave certainty, chase it, and pretend you have it even when you do not.
You delay decisions waiting for perfect information that never comes.
You reward predictability while the market rewards adaptability.
Today certainty is gone. And it is not coming back. How do you lead when the only constant is change?
Shift from Certainty to Clarity
The traditional approach to uncertainty said, "Wait until you know for sure, then act."
Relentless vision says, "Clarity about direction beats certainty about outcomes."
Meridith Elliott Powell's research on the Work Positive Podcast revealed companies that thrived for centuries through wars, economic collapses, and technological revolutions shared one trait: clarity about where they were headed.
"The antidote to uncertainty is not certainty. It is clarity," my friend Dr. Bob Johansen says. Your vision provides clarity of the "what" without demanding certainty about the "how."
Companies that clearly define and consistently apply values report 41% higher employee trust and 37% better decision-making speed during crises.
The Adaptability Advantage
What does thriving in uncertainty look like in practice? Meet AQ: your Adaptability Quotient.
Ira Wolfe shared this crucial insight on the Work Positive Podcast: "The number one skill is how adaptable are you." McKinsey found adaptability tops the list of skills needed to thrive by 2030. Not your GPA. Not decades of experience.
AQ has three dimensions: Ability (grit, resilience, growth mindset), Characteristics (self-awareness under stress), and Environment (your support system). People with high AQ are 24% more likely to be employed and thriving.
When I asked Ira for his Do One Thing, he said quickly, "Start with growth mindset." Believing there is a better future if you are willing to work for it.
Your Vision and Adaptability Challenge
Try these three actions this week:
- Huddle for Clarity: Gather your team for 30 minutes. Ask: What are we doing well? What worked before but is not working now? What do we need to be doing that we are not? Choose one thing to do in each category.
- Move Values Off the Wall: Identify one decision you are facing this week. Before deciding, ask: "Does this align with our stated values?" Make values the way you do business, not just words on a wall.
- Reframe Your Fixed Mindset: Identify one area where you feel stuck. What is your fixed mindset belief? "I am not good at technology." Now rewrite it: "I am not good at technology yet, but I am learning." That "yet" changes everything.
The Work Positive Bottom Line
The best leaders today cultivate clarity and adaptability rather than chasing the certainty that no longer exists.
Stop waiting for certainty. Start leading with clarity so everyone can thrive with Change @ Work.
Got some burning questions? Ask Dr. Joey here.
Taken from Dr. Joey's newest book, Change @ Work: T.R.A.N.S.F.O.R.M. Negative Chaos into a Positive Culture.
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