Finding Your Leadership Footing
Think about a leader you admire. Who stands out to you as someone you’d want to emulate? Take a moment, I’ll wait. Do you have someone in mind?
For me, that person is often Martin Luther King, Jr. His courage and moral clarity undeniably changed the course of history. I’m particularly struck by the creativity he employed to draw attention to profound injustices, swaying opinion, and demanding change in a way that was both powerful and, at the time, radically new (at least in America).
But let’s be clear: MLK’s life wasn’t a predictable highlight reel. It wasn’t apparent that his choices or the significant risks he took would “work out” in a conventional sense. Quite the opposite. He continuously faced pressure from those telling him to pull back, go easier, and take fewer risks. Persevering on his chosen path ultimately led to his tragic assassination at a young age, yet cemented his legacy as one of the most impactful leaders of the century.
Great Leaders Aren’t Forged in Calm Waters
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s leadership didn’t exist in a vacuum. The environment that shaped him was anything but predictable and stable. While he was leading marches and igniting change, America launched into a major military engagement, and a sitting president was assassinated. The stock market experienced an unprecedented boom but saw three steep (30% or more) declines.
He lived and led in a time of tremendous, often disorienting, change and uncertainty, much like many of us feel today.
Now, take a minute to look back at the leader you pictured. What was going on in the world around them? Was their era defined by placid stability, or was it more chaotic and tumultuous?
I could review a list of renowned leaders from the last 100 years: Churchill, Gandhi, Mandela, Thatcher, Mother Teresa, Jobs, and Disney. Which of these individuals truly led in calm, predictable times? Each, in their own way, defined an era, an industry, or a cause, often making their most significant impact by navigating and responding to unpredictable events.
Could This Uncertainty Be Your Unlikely Ally?
It’s easy to feel disquieted right now. I hear it in my daily conversations with leaders: the economic see-saw and the rapid emergence of AI—it’s a lot. It can make me want to hunker down.
But what if these very times we are in could be a gift?
What if this turbulence is creating the space you need?
- It could be the catalyst to break free from established, perhaps stale, ways of doing things.
- It might provide the creative pressure to experiment with a bold new approach you’ve been hesitant to try.
- It could open the door to serving a different business model, reaching a new core customer, or fundamentally changing how you deliver value.
Think about it: what aspects of your business, leadership, or industry do you secretly wish were different? In times of flux, many of those ingrained “rules” are suddenly up for renegotiation.
I’m exploring this myself. For instance, I’m currently experimenting with AI coaching tools to manage my thinking and aspects of my business. The jury is still out on the ultimate impact, but my curiosity leads me to engage with it and learn rather than simply reacting to the hype or fear. It’s about choosing agency in the face of the new.
Your Team is Watching: How Will You Show Up?
This isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about how you, as a leader, choose to meet the uncertainty. It’s about cultivating that inner groundedness that allows you to see possibility where others see only peril.
Your team is watching. They look to you not for a crystal ball, but for cues on how to navigate the swirl. They’re looking for courage, a steady hand, and a willingness to engage with the new, even if it’s uncomfortable.
So, as you look at the landscape ahead, as you feel the inevitable pressures of change:
Does uncertainty primarily scare you into retreat, or can it embolden you to rise, adapt, and perhaps even redefine what’s possible for you and your team?
The opportunity is there. How will you meet it?
