01/14/2019

Daily Buzz: Lead Pragmatically When Goals Are Vague

Be productive when leading through ambiguity

Without a clear business strategy or goals to work toward, making key association decisions can be challenging. “We frequently find ourselves managing in situations of strategic ambiguity—when it isn’t clear where you’re going or how you’ll get there,” says Lisa Lai in a post on Harvard Business Review. “The best managers find ways to provide steady, realistic direction and to lead with excellence, even when the strategy isn’t clear.”

To keep productivity high amid vague situations, Lai recommends taking a pragmatic approach to work. “First, focus on what you can control,” she says. “You owe it to the organization and to your team to deliver value every day … Once you’ve focused your team on delivering value and started to explore what’s possible, you’re prepared to move forward with a discrete set of priorities.”

From there, leaders must work to create emotional steadiness in an otherwise unsteady environment. They achieve this through acknowledging the team’s emotions and keeping communication open.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.