Navigating Uncertainty with Strength, Focus and Agility — Stan Leopard
Guest Post By Fred Krawchuk
Many of us face uncertainty at home, work or in our communities given COVID-19, socio-political unrest, and other stressful implications of these turbulent times. Sometimes the best we can do is take one step at a time, as if tapping our canes as we walk in the fog…tap and step, tap and step… Given this dynamic and fast-moving world, what can we do to walk this path of change and transition with more ease and confidence? Here are four suggestions:
First, we can define our current reality as best as we can. General Peter Schoomaker, the former U.S. Army Chief of Staff once told me that when you plan a mission, you should do so based on a clear outlook on the situation, not on how I hoped or wished the context to be. Guy Armstrong, a longtime meditation teacher makes a similar observation about awareness of our circumstances as coming to understand things the way they are, not the way we imagine them to be or would like them to be. By paying attention without judging, comparing, or trying to fix things reactively, we can stay closely in touch with our current reality.
Situational awareness is not only painting a comprehensive picture of our current reality, it is also taking an “internal selfie” to engage our core values and interests. Conducting an inventory of our top concerns is a helpful way to ground and center ourselves. The authors of Designing Your Life encourage us to reflect on these questions:
Why am I here?
What am I doing with this precious life?
Why does it matter?
What is my purpose?
What is the point of it all?
Discerning how we define the good life and how we want to live helps us focus our attention on what is essential. We may not know what is ahead in the fog of an uncertain future. However, we have agency in how to choose to respond to it. Dr. Jeremy Hunter suggests that we reflect on what would happen if we lessened our resistance and increased acceptance to not knowing. Our curiosity about the future and our best ideals available in the present can help us navigate the tricky terrain ahead.
Second, with a clearer sense of our current reality we are well positioned to respond appropriately. We contemplate the best moves we can make based on our highest intentions. To amplify creativity, Dr. Rick Jarow asks us consider what we would do in this situation if we only had two years to live, just won the lottery, or want to act in a way that enhances life itself. This can help us to zoom out and broaden our possibilities so we can zoom in and decide on what concrete steps to take to move forward.
Another helpful way to navigate change and transition is to brainstorm “heaven” and “hell” scenarios. Given your current challenge, what is the worst possible outcome? Then look from the future backwards to imagine the steps you took that brought you down this painful road. Conversely, you also ask what is the best outcome that might occur. Just as you did with the hell scenario, you look from the future and walk this pathway back to conceive the critical steps that brought you to that fortunate outcome. By considering “heaven” and “hell” scenarios you can more effectively mitigate risk, exploit success, and activate contingencies with confidence and agility.
Third, to bolster this “sense and respond” approach to a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous ( VUCA) world, you also need to adapt. In order to stay aligned with your highest intentions and be effective in your actions, you need to be ready to adjust plans and make necessary corrections to your approach. Checking in periodically with a coach or friend can provide you ongoing feedback on your progress. Asking yourself periodically what is working well, and what can improve will help your decision-making be nimble as you iterate forward.
Finally, building resiliency will sharpen your capacity to sense, respond, and adapt to VUCA predicaments. Resilience is the ability to bounce forward after a setback. As the Japanese proverb says, “seven times down, eight times up.” The good news is there are no secrets to building your inner resources to get back on your feet and stay strong in the face of uncertainty. The research is clear that adequate rest, nutritious food, regular exercise, staying hydrated, and mental work-outs (meditation, walks in nature, listening to your favorite music, etc.) are the building blocks for mental, physical, and emotional fitness.
Taking time on a daily basis to consider what you are grateful for and partaking in activities that enliven you also strengthen your capacity to thrive in these tough times. According to Dr. Daniel Levitin, the rewards from doing things that please you lift your mood and strengthen the immune system. You might start your day with one of your favorite activities and end it by journaling what you appreciated about the day. This blend of action and reflection builds resilience and provides benefits that balance out the setbacks you might experience.
Clarity of what is essential in your life and healthy habits to stay grounded will empower you to surf the waves of whatever difficulty or change you might encounter, to include COVID-19 and its aftermath. Resilience and inner direction, grounded in your core values, goals, and intentions, will buoy and guide you through this storm and the next transition. Whenever the conundrum you currently face recedes you will be able to take pride in the decisions you made and see the positive impact of the actions you took in service of your highest ideals.
Fred Krawchuk is a certified Change and Transition Strategist and management consultant. A former U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel, U.S. Department of State Fellow and longtime mindfulness practitioner, Fred draws on his 30 years of work experience in more than 30 countries to help clients improve their strategic thinking, strengthen results through collaboration and develop resilient ventures that will thrive in today’s fast-paced global environment. Fred is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, Harvard University, and IESE Business School.
Originally published at https://www.stanleopard.com on August 5, 2020.
