How do you maintain team morale during uncertainty?

Show up everyday with energy and enthusiasm. Monitor and journal every small progress. Communicate that progress to your team Appreciate and thank them for it. Keep transparent, open , proactive communication with all involved. Follow it up with action and communication.

To navigate a team through Uncertainty I have found it helpful to : 1. Find out more about the situation e.g. if a transformation is planned, can I find out about objectives, scope, timing, business unit/target group, rational/expected benefits. Understanding more can help me to reduce uncertainty when sharing information appropriately in the team 2. Explore root causes to develop tangible interventions with the team & its individuals - Do we lack information ? Concerns about impact on individuals, team, task, status? 3. Help the team to focus on what we can influence (inner locus of control) 4. Provide opportunitities for dialogue, sense making, connection & mutual support 5. Act with transparency, integrity, empathy

One leader that I worked with simply defined leadership as the act of defining reality, giving hope and supplying direction. This is especially powerful during challenging times. People need to know the reality of the landscape and potential outcomes. Leaders then need to inspire their people, building passion and purpose around what they need to do. Setting direction in the form of goals and deliverables helps to translate challenges into meaningful and clear steps and actions. Clear and honest communication is critical, and providing hope can help lift and motivate teams to perform, sometimes in extraordinary ways.

I find that there are three key aspects to maintain. Frequency, transparency and honesty. Communicate frequent with the team, until the uncertain situation is resolved (and also communicate that). Be transparent in the communication, the potential impact and potential solutions. But most of all honest, it is okay to not have all the answers yourself.

In my experience the following helps 1) Generate and reinforce hope without being dishonest 2) Exude calm. A sense of humour helps 3) Encourage people to take on personal developmental projects 4) Communicate frequently 5) Reset, and temporarily focus on shorter term goals

Goals should not be the be all and end all of your teams work and definitely not be inflexible. Circumstances can change and goals seen as unreachable can destroy a teams confidence

In fluid situations, it's essential for teams to have a clear roadmap. By frequently reassessing and updating goals, leaders provide clarity amidst chaos. SMART goals act as a compass, guiding teams to stay on course despite challenges. Moreover, when individuals see the connection between their tasks and the company's larger vision, it instills motivation and purpose. By bridging individual tasks to collective success, leaders can foster unity, commitment, and resilience even when the path ahead seems uncertain.

Navigate uncertainty in HR by realigning goals and expectations. Regularly revisit and ensure they are SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Adapt them to current priorities and realities. Illuminate the connection between individual goals and the organizational vision, fostering a sense of purpose. This alignment not only sharpens focus but also magnifies the impact of each team member, creating a united front against uncertainty.

Especially in times of uncertainty, it's, well... important to have a firm grasp on the source of the uncertainty - particularly when it comes to expectations. Too often, circumstances of chaos can be self-generated by management within the organization; and any definition of "realism" to what may be reasonably expected from one's people has to be fundamentally approached from this as a starting perspective. Our people are no dummies. They will be aware of the responsibility they have to bear as a result of poor operational or strategic management, which has severe cultural implications in the long-term. In the short-term, blaming one's people for failing to meet expectations under those circumstances will be disastrous.

Your meeting or one-to-one goals should be clearly outlined, and specific and follow the SMART priorities. This is important to reassure the team and provide structure and build a stronger company culture and vision,

Throughout life and our careers, we face uncertainty a lot. The best thing we can do for our teams is the same thing we can do for our communities. That is to show up. In my experience, what works for me in times where I have felt uncertain and unsure, is to get up, get dressed, and show up. Push forward even when you don’t feel like pushing forward for yourself. Do something selfless and push forward for someone else today. Showing up and standing side by side is a form of support, communication, and effort that goes further in the work place than most people think. It builds trust and trust allows foundation to create a path to unity in a team and alignment in goals. Being in the trenches together to achieving together.

Remember that outside of work you are the exact same as anyone else - a human trying to thrive. Doing our best to remember our shared experience can level the field and bring equity to the employee and coworker experience. Give your people the chance to be themselves and to thrive doing it.

“Leadership,” Nimitz said, “consists of picking good men and helping them do their best.” There is two components to the above statement : 1. Selection process: What criteria one has to select team members ? What process they use while selecting from candidates? How can one identify “good men”? “Good” in which areas? Which values the prospects have align with the organization’s values ? Which values they bring enhance the values of the rest of the team? 2. Support System: Is there a feedback system? Is there regular evaluations? Is there autonomy, and is creativity supported? More so is it incentivized? Are team’s efforts celebrated or is there only a results based rewarding system, regardless of means used? There are only few points

One of the promises I make to my team is that any change that affects their work will be discussed directly with them, not announced in a meeting. Although it doesn't necessarily alter the situation, it does provide a forum to discuss the impacts as well as lend perspective and support to the affected team members.

People always come first, always. Answer questions with what you know. Adjust the day to day with the circumstances and allow your team to give feedback on it and listen. Do what you can as circumstances allow. Treat people as people and not abstract numbers. Allow the team to find the best ways to keep accomplishing daily individual and group goals, not everything will be able to be controlled, focus on what they can control.

My teams always knew that I had their backs. I celebrated their successes with them, but I also took responsibility for their mistakes or failures. We learned together, we didn't blame each other. Failures are where we as people and teams can learn the most about ourselves and help reach the next level. My teams always knew that when things got hard, I was going to be right there with them.

I previously worked for a mid-size company that was later acquired by a Fortune 500 enterprise. This acquisition resulted in many layoffs, which immediately lowered staff morale. During this time and inspired by the Summer Olympics, I designed a week-long team event called Office Olympics, forming teams representing each country and creating daily activities for team competitions. By the end of the week, we had 100% participation, concluding with a winner's ceremony awarding Olympic medals to first-, second-, and third-place teams. The event exceeded expectations, and everyone had fun. Despite the ongoing layoffs and eventual office closure, the Office Olympics was a resounding success. To this day, my former colleagues still talk about it.

Transparent communication, regular check-ins, and open-door policies are exemplary approaches to creating a safe and supportive space for team members to express their concerns. By providing platforms for open dialogue, leaders can gain invaluable insights into the team's collective state of mind, enabling them to effectively tailor their support and guidance.

When you are clear about what you don't know, you can invite people to share what they know. Your team members have access to sources of information that you don't; tap into that!

Be authentic and allow yourself to be vulnerable too as a leader, at the end this is a matter for it. Yet ensure that you are there on top of things and no matter what happens there will be a collaboration across.

Recognizing and appreciating the efforts of team members during tumultuous periods can significantly boost morale and maintain a positive outlook. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool to foster resilience, ensuring the team remains steadfast in pursuing shared goals despite external uncertainties.

“Take care of you.” Another phrase my team hears on a regular basis, “This place will be here.” It’s so easy to get lost in the day to day that associates loose sight of what’s important…personal health and well-being. I recommend all leaders encourage participation in company well being initiatives. Sometimes that encouragement can be you as a leader participating as well.

Remind them of their priorities in life. Self before family to be able to provide for the family and with that, the clarity of mind to do good work to support both sustainably.

Good health IS good business. The first time I heard this I thought "well ya, isn't that obvious?" but I quickly realized that even in my own company at the time, this adage wasn't being taken seriously. Even when you have a great team, maybe especially then, people can often forget to take care of themselves. I always say, everything comes back to leadership so whatever they make important, becomes important. Leaders need to actively demonstrate their interest in the teams well being or it won't be done. That can be as easy as having simple wellness check in conversations with team members, or consistently communicating through company channels the importance of well-being. Make it a priority, not a punchline.

Teams need to know that they are .... a "team" as Dennis Perkin's "Leading at the Edge" tenants say #5 - "You Live and die TOGETHER" but at the same time . .. #8 - "Find something to celebrate and laugh about" Morale is the thing you will fight everyday in this modern disconnected ("online-everything" is DISCONNECTED IMO) Without good morale and an enjoyable workplace, you will loose team members and never achieve your short-term & long-term goals.

Do you have a team tradition? Specific ways your team has fun together, like a game night? Now is the time to employ them. If you can link it back to one of your values even better. You can lean on your values in times of uncertainty to show the team how you'll navigate things.

I would like to add that I always try to instill in my team a stoic perspective whereby every day we come in and clock in and only focus on what we can control. We can control our attitude, time management, meeting deadlines, coaching agents and making sure to keeps the wheels running while we learn something and collaborate with each other. We cannot however control other stuff like the war, the recession, if the company will lay off employees etc… Usually focusing on things we can control gives everyone a sense of calm and helps shift perspective from anxiety to action.

Perhaps the biggest uncertainty in corporate setting is: Will I have my job? Layoffs due to 1) Change in strategy - some product, project, initiative getting nixed or moved from one location to another 2) Financial trouble 3) Merger or acquisition 4) Fill in your choice for reason Keeping team morale during such uncertainty is extremely difficult if not impossible. All of the suggestions above are good but could have minimal impact in such a scenario. Many will quit working hard. Many will quit literally. Others will get laid off. Best leaders help those impacted. They also show up to get the job done despite such uncertainty. Their actions alone can be a morale booster more than any words they utter.

During periods of uncertainty, it becomes crucial to commemorate achievements and milestones. Acknowledging even small strides not only strengthens a positive team culture but also serves as a motivating force for individuals to persist in their efforts. Consistently recognizing and expressing appreciation for the hard work and dedication of team members contributes to the establishment of a supportive atmosphere. While transparent communication remains pivotal for sustaining team morale amid uncertainty, a comprehensive approach encompassing goal alignment, empowerment, support, collaboration, trust-building, well-being promotion, and celebration of successes is equally essential.

Fostering open communication channels, acknowledging uncertainties, and celebrating small victories collectively can empower a team, instilling resilience and a shared sense of purpose. Regular check-ins allow team members to express concerns, while highlighting the team's achievements fuels motivation. Additionally, fostering a supportive environment and providing resources for skill development can empower individuals, contributing to overall team morale. Remember, a united team weathers uncertainties more effectively when armed with clear communication and a shared commitment to growth.