Here’s a paradox that might surprise you: During the early stages of the pandemic—arguably one of the most uncertain periods in recent history—55% of employees strongly agreed their leaders communicated a clear plan of action. Yet by mid-2022 when things were supposedly ‘normalizing,’ that number plummeted to just 22%. (source: Gallup)

The greatest clarity came during the foggiest times. Why? Because how we lead through change matters more than the change itself.

Given the rate of change today and how little control we feel over it, no wonder it’s tough for people to feel trust in their environments and their leaders.

We often hear that ‘people struggle with change.’ I’ve found that most people can handle change pretty well assuming a couple of things:

1. They understand the purpose of the change; if it feels random, it’s unsettling. If there’s a clear purpose to it that I can identify with, people are much more confident.
2. They have some voice in how that change affects them. People feel much better when they have some control and can adjust much better when they have some agency in the process.
3. Their role in the new environment is clear. People adapt much more quickly when they understand what the next steps are and what is being asked of them.

So what can we do about it? Instinctively, we know it’s important to create a team or an organization that’s based on trust. But what can I do (how can I maintain a trust-driven environment) when so many things feel outside my control?

Six Actions During Times of Rapid Change

1. First, show up. And what I mean by showing up is, step into your role as leader. You might feel you’re responsible for everything. You’re actually responsible for the outcomes. To get your arms around that, know the core things you’re responsible for are:

– Being really clear about the WHAT; What are we trying to accomplish in what time frame under what budget. This means you need a clear vision and a clear way of sharing it.

– Being really clear about the WHY; what makes this work important and how will it contribute to the overall results of the organization

– Ensuring your team has the resources and skills to do the work. The team should be primarily responsible for the HOW of the work.

– Conveying your expectations of quality. People need to know what good looks like and what your expectations are.

– Finally, providing actionable feedback on the progress. Giving people course corrections as needed and celebrating progress along the way. Give people the opportunity to get better are their work.

You can learn more about the role of the leader in this short article.

2. Focus on delivering certainty and importance to your team. When things are changing quickly, we need some predictability and certainty. Help people focus on what they can control. Focus on their work that they know so well, focus on their strengths and their resilience. So help people know what’s right in front of them, where to put their attention and focus.And, to get past the rough spots, people need to know what they’re doing actually counts. Let people know how important their work is, how much you value them and their strengths. And how much confidence you have in their ability to deliver.
3. Talk about it. Have frequent conversations around what is happening, how it feels and what we are doing about it (together, as a team). Acknowledge that change can be uncomfortable but that we have the strengths needed to be successful.

4. Keep it real. Avoid the temptation to sugarcoat things and keep things harmonious all the time. Know that some conflict can he healthy. It demonstrates trust and your capacity to deal with bad news. Stick to the truth. If you cannot be fully forthcoming, say so but commit to sharing information as soon as you can. We lower trust when we assume people cannot deal with bad news.

5. Shorten the milestones. People feel better when they can sense progress and that their actions are moving them in the right direction. So measure progress through shorter-term outcomes (Instead of checking in on a project in two weeks, do a smaller progress update this week and next week.).

6. Celebrate successes as they come and connect those successes to progress against the bigger picture. Remind them of the purpose and importance of their work and use these small celebrations to remind folks we are making progress!

Here’s the really scary part: Attitudes are infectious. Know that your team will be paying attention to how you respond. If you’re calm and thoughtful on the outside, they will follow your cue. If you show up shaken and unwilling to deal with the hard stuff, they’ll respond to that as well, with less trust and capability.

You are capable of leading people through hard times. It takes being intentional and it takes being uncomfortable. But when you do, you will build a team that is resilient and high-performing and able to take on the next big change.