The hidden way uncertainty is holding Canberra professionals back
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Many Canberrans will recognise the feeling – that moment your boss or team is staring expectantly at you, waiting for an answer. Perhaps a major restructure is underway, or budget cuts have just been announced. Or perhaps you simply need to make a call on the validity of data in a report before your boss gives it the green light.
Uncertainty in life is tough. But uncertainty at work can be downright debilitating, and according to Canberra leadership coach Kim Vella, the way leaders respond to it can have a big impact on how others perceive them.
“There is barely a leadership coaching session I have with clients where some aspect of uncertainty doesn’t come into play,” says Kim.
“People want to know if they should ooze confidence even when they’re plagued with uncertainty – like faking it until they make it. In reality, this isn’t the question they need to ask. The real question is, why are you uncertain? Does the uncertainty really sit with you, or is it the result of something external?”
According to Kim, the way you perceive and then communicate the source of uncertainty has a direct impact on how others rate your competence. When faced with questions like “What do we do now?” or “Do you trust this?” or “How do we move forward?”, responding with “I don’t know” can come across as an admission of incompetence, even if you believe you’re being honest and authentic.
“In most workplace situations involving uncertainty, the real truth is not that you don’t know or aren’t sure,” says Kim.
“It’s that the circumstances surrounding the event are unknown or unsure. It’s not a subtle difference, and it does require you to shift your mindset in those moments when people are eagerly awaiting a response. And it’s this response that needs to attribute the uncertainty to where it belongs, rather than automatically placing it with you.”
Kim suggests that the leaders who most commonly take personal ownership of uncertainty are those with strong views about integrity and accountability. They have no problem admitting when something is their fault, even when they might not recognise it’s not actually their fault at all.
“You may feel like you’re being humble, but the framing is that you are to blame. If your boss asks whether you have confidence in the numbers before they sign off, and you don’t, is it really because you didn’t read them? Or is it because the systems and processes surrounding those numbers don’t inspire much confidence? If it’s the latter, genuine honesty would be to communicate that fact, along with what might need to change to reduce the uncertainty.”
The impact to leaders who express uncertainty was even the subject of an international study. It found that leaders who use external, objective language (“It’s uncertain which project has greater promise”) are perceived as significantly more competent than leaders who use internal, subjective language (“I am uncertain”).
“The study also found leaders are perceived as more competent when they exude certainty and confidence rather than admitting doubt, which is not surprising,” says Kim.
“Yet paradoxically, participants said leaders should be open about uncertainty instead of downplaying it.”
She says that you can achieve the best of both worlds when you are careful about the way you relate to the uncertainty.
“Don’t personalise it, and instead place it where it rightfully belongs. This has the dual benefit of allowing for shared consensus and deeper exploration, instead of defaulting to personal responsibility that isn’t yours and can end up costing you heavily.”
For more insights from Kim or to find out about leadership coaching, visit Kim Vella Coaching.
