Businesses are feeling a lot of pressure from uncertainty these days. Slipping profits, tight budgets, AI and automation, and employees worrying about layoffs.
In these moments of uncertainty, your team needs a few things that they don’t teach you in business school: clarity, care, and trust.
This trifecta all starts with how effective leaders communicate, especially when the chips are down. In my experience coaching global leaders, plus some lessons I’ve gathered from the evidence, here’s how to do it right.
1. Acknowledge what’s working without minimizing the reality
Start with a “yes, and” mindset. Acknowledge the bad first: Yes, the business is struggling. Then follow it up with the good: And yes, we’re making progress where we can. This approach both respects their struggle and reinforces their impact.
It’s being able to balance gloom with good: You must highlight what’s working without creating a false sense of security with clichés like “We’ve got this.”
2. Invite real questions and listen carefully
Uncertainty breeds anxiety, and your team will often imagine the worst unless you create space for honest dialogue. Simply asking, “Any questions?” won’t cut it; it usually produces silence because people fear judgment or repercussions. On top of that, your people are smart and can probably guess the truth before it’s told in a scripted all-hands meeting. So, lean into your team’s curiosity to ease their discomfort about things like layoffs and how bad things really are.
Here’s what to do: Use open-ended, empathetic prompts that normalize concern, like:
- “What’s on your mind about these changes?”
- “How is this uncertainty affecting your priorities or workload?”
- “If you were in my shoes, what would you want clarity on?”
If the room is quiet, don’t assume people are fine. Silence often signals fear, not comfort. Follow up privately with trusted team members or lower-ranked team leads closer to the ground.
3. Respond with care even when you don’t have answers
Give your people clarity around what you know, what you don’t, and what might change. In other words, when you communicate as a leader, focus on what the facts are, use vulnerability to share what you don’t know, and give people relevant data about what could influence the outcome. The point is to ground your updates in data and visible progress—not speculation or guesswork. That’s the guidance people need to eliminate confusion and panic in rough times.
4. Model steady presence
Modeling steady presence means being the emotional anchor your team needs during uncertain times. Start by being your predictable self: Don’t cancel regular check-ins just because the news is tough. Watch how you speak: Keep your tone calm and body language composed (your natural tendencies when leading in calmer waters, I would hope), as people will read more into how you carry yourself than what you say. You can share the truth and acknowledge challenges honestly, but avoid dramatic language that will freak others out. You want to reinforce confidence in your team members by expressing belief in their ability to handle what’s ahead. And don’t neglect your own well-being. Leaders can’t project steadiness if they’re running on empty. Your team will mirror your behavior. if you’re calm and steady in the face of uncertainty, they’ll stay calmer.
When the business pivots and things aren’t looking up, your team doesn’t need platitudes. They need the unfiltered truth grounded in optimism that honors their concerns. This is about trust that lasts.
— By Marcel Schwantes
This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc.
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