IMD OWP22 PostEvent Report

Q&A →Leadership HOW TO LEAD IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY WHAT IS YOURHOT TOPIC? How can executives successfully lead, engage, and support people during times of uncertainty? How can leaders strengthen their own resilience and resilience in others? How can we unpack the nature of uncertainty and identify the different challenges it poses for the “task” and “people” dimensions of leadership? WHYDOES IT MATTERNOW? In an era of polycrisis, uncertainty abounds. But common views of uncertainty often reduce it to a purely informational deficit that can be addressed with more or better data (or better analysis). As such, the more subjective impact of uncertainty is ignored or brushed off as part of these information management challenges. However, for leaders, the impact of

uncertainty on people is of central concern and must be actively attended to.

Leading in uncertain times has become one of the defining challenges for executives. It’s important to recognize that uncertainty does not just disrupt tasks, it also poses an identity threat to people and teams.

MARTIN FELLENZ Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior

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