As a leader, you’re constantly dealing with moving targets—tight timelines, changing priorities, unpredictable personalities, and situations well outside your control. That’s the job. But the trap many fall into is wasting energy trying to control the uncontrollable, instead of focusing on where real influence lives: inside the team.
Trying to micromanage uncertainty leads to burnout, bottlenecks, and brittle teams. Strong leadership isn’t about controlling every variable—it’s about creating clarity, building adaptability, and modeling calm under pressure. Your team is watching how you respond when things veer off course. So, the question isn’t, “How do I control this?” It’s, “How do I lead through this?”
Your Response Sets the Tone: Stay steady. Reacting with frustration or panic teaches your team to mirror it. When you stay calm, especially in chaos, your team gains confidence.
Structure Over Scramble: You can’t predict every curveball. But you can build systems that flex. Leave room in your schedule for problem-solving—not just production. Make space for the unexpected.
Clarity Over Certainty: You won’t always have the answers. But you can be clear about what matters right now, what’s expected, and what principles will guide decisions. In uncertainty, clarity is more useful than control.
Ownership Builds Resilience: Stop solving every problem yourself. Coach your team to step into ambiguity. When they share ownership, they grow stronger, and it reduces the pressure on you to fix everything.
- Run “What If” Drills: Not just fire drills—lead discussions about possible changes, setbacks, or shifts. Normalize flexibility.
- Audit What You’re Holding Too Tightly: Where are you burning energy trying to force an outcome? What tasks, decisions, or projects can others own?
- Model a Resilient Response to Setbacks: When something goes wrong, name it, learn from it, and move on. Let your team see what healthy recovery looks like.
You can’t lead everything. But you can lead the people who will figure it out. Focus less on control, more on capability. That’s where great leadership actually lives.
Founded in 2004, Lead Star is the company behind New York Times best-sellers SPARK, Leading from the Front, and Bet on You. Our mission is to support our clients in achieving better results through their people. By developing better leaders at every level, we help organizations unlock the essential capabilities needed to elevate their performance.
