Different types of uncertainty
Higher ed. leaders, both senior and junior, can be terribly uncomfortable navigating uncertainty when they are committed to doing a good job. They desire excellent outcomes from their actions and decisions, and dislike unclear or unpredictable situations. Let’s look at three types of uncertainty.
1. You’re not sure what to do
This is a very common issue with junior leaders who are used to being told what to do and have a hard time adjusting to being the decision-maker. They have to learn to lead but tend to doubt themselves because they lack experience. They often struggle to create an inspiring vision and set goals for their departments. When they have to do something new, they seek advice and guidance from others, even when they are ready to figure things out on their own, because they don’t trust themselves and need validation. They put too much attention on their fears; fear of being wrong, fear of making a mistake, fear of looking bad, fear of upsetting someone, or fear of not knowing enough.
2. You don’t know what your boss wants
This seems more common with senior leaders. They know exactly how to do their jobs and are highly competent but they are not mind-readers. They hesitate to ask their President or Vice-President for clarifications because they don’t want to look incompetent. Being able to handle problems independently and effectively is what allowed them to move up the ladder and asking for guidance feels like a failure. They often operate in the dark since they don’t know their supervisor’s vision, needs, or preferences.
3. You don’t know what is going to happen
One type of uncertainty everyone has to deal with is not knowing what will happen in the future. Will your strategy work or should you try a different approach? Are you going to reach our enrollment and retention goals? What will the budget look like in two years? What will the local job market need in five years? Who will replace the President when he/she retires next year? Nobody knows. Only time will tell.
Know when to ask for guidance
So, what do you do? For situation #1 you need to start figuring things out on your own and gain experience and confidence. But stop asking for other people’s opinions! For situation #2 simply ask your supervisor what they want because if their goals aren’t clear, it will be extremely difficult to meet their expectations. And for situation #3 you need to trust your ability to handle whatever life throws at you.
Some leaders (often junior) ask for too much guidance and others (often senior) don’t ask enough. While it’s usually easy for a third party to see clearly what is happening, it doesn’t seem obvious in the moment. Let’s use an analogy that hopefully will make things clearer.
Imagine that someone tells you to prepare for a one-week vacation. Before you can start packing, you need to ask about the destination. If you don’t ask, you will have to pack for every possible destination. You’ll have to carry many suitcases for no good reason. Your efforts will be wasted. Alternatively, if you choose to take a wild guess and pack what you need for a week in Hawaii, you’ll be cold and ill-prepared when you arrive at a ski resort in Colorado. To do a good job packing, you need to be told the destination. It doesn’t make you incompetent. It makes you someone who allocates time and effort wisely instead of crossing your fingers and hoping you guessed right.
However, if someone tells you to pack for a week-long ski trip in Colorado, that should be enough information for you to pack without any further guidance. If you ask how many shirts to pack, how many books to bring, how many bags seem appropriate, what goes in your suitcase and what goes in your carry-on, and whether to fold or roll your clothes, the other person will be annoyed. They don’t care how you pack. Don’t put them in charge of decisions that should be yours.
And as to predicting the future… Will your flight be on time or delayed? Will you have fun on your trip? Will you want to go there again next year? Will somebody break a leg? Will someone meet someone special? Will someone lose their wallet? Nobody knows! So don’t worry about it. You need to learn to become comfortable not knowing how your trip will unfold and make the best of it instead of stressing out about the unknown.
Become comfortable with uncertainty
Unless you find yourself in situation #2, where the smart choice is to ask your supervisor to clarify their expectations so that you can meet them, you need to become comfortable with uncertainty. Situation #1 and situation #3 have the same solution, which is to trust yourself more.
In situation #1 you have to realize that you’ve been trusted to take a leadership role because it’s your next level in your professional development and career. You don’t know now what you’ll know after a few years on the job and that’s ok. Nobody expects you to have all the answers, but you must do your best to learn by trial and error instead of refusing responsibility and asking other people to make decisions for you. Find the courage to do your best and be willing to forgive yourself if you make mistakes.
In situation #3 you may have less of a learning curve but you need to develop the strength and humility to be willing to be wrong sometimes despite your best efforts, to sometimes fail to meet your goals, and to sometimes have regrets. It will be easier to forgive yourself for not creating the results you wanted once you realize that you did the best you could with what you knew at the time. Compassion for others as well as self-compassion are required for leadership. You can’t drive innovation and improvement without willingness to be wrong at times. If you only go for what is guaranteed… well, your life and career will remain limited. If it’s not self-judgment but tangible consequences that you fear (e.g. losing your job), make sure you are not exaggerating the gravity of the situation. Take calculated risks, don’t be reckless, and all will be fine.
If you find it difficult to navigate uncertainty and have a strong need for predictability, please realize that it doesn’t have to be this way. Your current belief system is causing you too much fear and stress, but I can help you change that. I invite you to schedule a complimentary call with me to discuss how I can help you become comfortable with uncertainty and no longer be limited by fear and worry.
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, and online courses. Audrey is the go-to coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.