FAQ — Settling My Team In Uncertain Times
One Friday each month, I dedicate the post to looking at some questions I have heard recently from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts for them is a way for me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership, or just a situation you would like some additional insight on, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question.
“How do I keep my team settled and focused when there’s so much uncertainty? They’re nervous about the economy, worried about our company’s health, and they’ve seen all the retail closures. They’re asking if we’re next.”
If you’re in a leadership role right now, you can probably relate. You feel it yourself, too. The weight of the unknown is real. Economic headlines, tariff talk, and retail shutterings aren’t just background noise. They’re front of mind for you, your team, and most others in our industry. The constant flow of negative news can create concern and ongoing uncertainty for sure. But as a leader, you are in a unique position to be a calming force for your team.
Here are a few ideas for how you can provide that steady hand and keep your team focused.
Start With Your Presence
People take their cues from you. That doesn’t mean pretending everything’s fine or faking confidence. It means being steady. If you’re calm, they’re more likely to stay calm. If you’re grounded in what you know and what you’re doing today, it helps them feel a little more grounded too. This is one of those leadership moments where your tone, consistency, and how you act matter more than the perfect words. You don’t have to solve the world’s problems, but your team needs to see that you’re showing up with intention. Your team needs to see that you believe you can all take on the challenges together.
Listening
It always start with this. Listening to your team is always a critical element, but when people are anxious, they (really) need to be heard. One of the most powerful things you can do is simply listen. Create a space where your team members can share what’s on their minds without fear of judgment. You don’t have to have all the answers. In fact, saying "I don't know" is better than making false promises. Let them talk about their fears. You can't fix everything for them, but you can show them you care by listening with empathy. I just covered this in several recent articles. SImply sharing in the experience with them can provide tremendous comfort. They know you can’t fix things, but knowing you are there by their side with some of the same questions and concerns will provide comfort. Visibility and availability always go a long way, but even more so in uncertain times.
Be transparent
Transparency builds trust. Being transparent can seem like a risky thing to embrace all the time, but I have always found it to serve me well. It strengthens the relationships with all those you serve, whether you work with them every day or just occasionally. When everything feels uncertain, a little bit of clarity can go a long way. Here is a framework I have used myself that can work very effectively in sharing information with your team.
What I know for sure. These are the facts. Stick to what has been communicated by the company or widely available.
What I believe will happen. Based on your experience, you can share your perspective. Be careful not to state this as fact. Your team wants to hear your thoughts, especially when they trust you as their leader.
What I don’t know. It is perfectly fine to say you don't have the answer to something. It’s better to be honest than to speculate. Your team understands you will not have every answer, especially when the challenges are coming from something as far-reaching as tariffs and global economic trends.
Control what you can control
Bringing people back to what can be controlled will also provide a sense of agency in the situation. These conversations give you an opportunity to reinforce the priorities in your store or district. Provide the actions they can be taking. “The best way for us to ensure we won’t have to worry about our store closing is to remain connected to our customers. The better we serve them, the more they purchase and come back, the better our store will be.”
Be the guiding light
Your team is looking to you for comfort, not necessarily the answers or the fixes. Staying connected to them, being transparent, and directing everyone to the things that make a difference every day will go a long way in providing a calming effect. People respect honesty. And when you pair that honesty with presence, availability, and forward motion, it creates stability even when the answers are incomplete. This approach builds trust and helps ground your team in reality, not speculation or assumptions. The goal is to keep everyone moving forward. Stay calm, stay optimistic, and reinforce and recognize what is working and what you can do today. Your leadership is the anchor your team needs right now.
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