When times are uncertain, your team does not expect you to have every answer. They do expect you to show up, tell the truth and keep talking.
Every organisation goes through uncertain periods. A funding change, a restructure, a regulatory shift, a leadership change. In those moments, many leaders go quiet. They wait until they have the full picture before saying anything, because saying "I do not know yet" feels risky.
It is usually the opposite. Silence is the riskier choice.
When communication disappears, anxiety fills the gap
People do not stop thinking just because leaders stop talking. When there is no information, they make their own. Rumours start in the car park. The worst case becomes the assumed case. Good people start updating their resumes, not because of what has happened, but because of what they imagine might.
That anxiety has a real cost. Focus drops. Mistakes increase. Trust weakens. And in our sector, unsettled teams can quickly mean unsettled participants and families.
What people actually need from you
In uncertain times, people are looking for four things from their leaders:
- Honesty. Tell them what you know, what you do not know yet, and when you expect to know more.
- Clarity. Plain words, not corporate language. If people need to read it twice to understand it, it is not clear enough.
- Consistency. The same message from every leader, so people are not left comparing versions.
- Presence. Being visible and available, not only sending emails from a distance.
Notice that none of these requires having all the answers. "Here is what we know, here is what we are working on, and I will update you on Friday" is a strong message, even when much is still uncertain.
Emotional intelligence in how you say it
What you say matters. How you say it matters just as much. Clear, emotionally intelligent communication means thinking about how the message will land, not only whether it is accurate.
That means acknowledging that change is hard before explaining why it is necessary. It means giving people space to react and ask questions. It means noticing who has gone quiet and checking in with them personally. A technically correct message delivered without care can do as much damage as no message at all.
A core capability, not a soft skill
Communication used to be filed under soft skills, something nice to have alongside the real expertise. That view no longer holds. In a sector that changes as often as ours, the ability to communicate clearly and calmly through uncertainty is a core organisational capability. It decides whether a change succeeds, whether people stay and whether trust survives a hard period.
Like any capability, it can be built. Leaders can be trained in it, practise it and get better at it.
A simple rhythm for uncertain times
When things are unsettled, a predictable rhythm of communication helps more than any single big announcement:
- Set a regular update time and keep it, even if the update is "no change yet."
- Brief all leaders together first, so the message is the same everywhere.
- Give people a way to ask questions, including anonymously, and answer them openly.
- Follow up written updates with face-to-face conversations where you can.
- Close the loop when decisions are made, explaining what was decided and why.
Stability in an organisation does not come from having no uncertainty. It comes from people trusting that they will be told the truth, in time, by leaders who care how it lands. That is something every leader can offer, starting with the next conversation.