Leaders must create a sense of stability during times of boundless transformation

Even when things are crazy, a leader can’t show how upset or unsettled they are, even when they’re really upset and unsettled. Instead, your job is to provide stability among chaos.”

Doug Phares, managing director, Silverwind Enterprises

You may already be familiar with the famous business management book that gives advice about moving cheese. This is not that. But I don’t like when people move my cheese. Actually, my issue isn’t always with people “moving my cheese” — I’m not generally married to any single location. It’s more the purposeless moving of my cheese that I find so aggravating.

I was recently talking to someone experiencing a lot of changes in their professional world, and they remarked on how “the only constant in life is change.” I understand this and most clichés about the inevitability of change. At different times in my life, I’ve even found myself in the role of radical change leader.

Change is often necessary. But orchestrating change isn’t entirely about making a shift. You should also ensure that the change you’re planning to implement is, in fact, necessary. Otherwise, you’re changing and disrupting for the sake of change itself, not to actually make things better or more efficient. That can feel like driving in Florida, where it’s a constant guessing game about where other drivers will go next. Turn signals are a rare sight.

In business, and in general, stable and predictable practices are ideal. People should be able to enter their workspace and understand how to do their jobs and use their tools. A good leader will minimize disruptions to this system unless they are absolutely necessary.

I’m currently on a task force for a project, and it’s like herding cats. It’s fascinating how we can all agree on a path, take a bathroom break, and when we come back, we’re all somehow traveling down totally different routes. Everyone gets pulled in new directions, because they’re interesting ideas, and we end up spending even more time trying to find our way back to the good path we were already on.

Strong leaders keep things consistent except when things must change. A leader is a protector of systems, serving to keep them normal for as long as possible. When change does come your way, whether it’s clearly signaled or barreling out of nowhere at you like a Florida driver, a leader’s strength is reflected in how they manage their response.

If you’re lucky enough to get a clear signal, then it’s your responsibility to inform your organization of what’s coming and what it will likely mean for them. If it’s a crazy swerve out of nowhere, then all you can do is grab the wheel and hope your brakes are in good shape — that, too, is an important part of leadership.

Even when things are crazy, a leader can’t show how upset or unsettled they are, even when they’re really upset and unsettled. Instead, your job is to provide stability among chaos. You can empathize with your people about the uncertainty and acknowledge how nuts things are, but you also need to assure them that there’s a path forward and you’re working to find it.

Yes, change is inevitable. It comes for all businesses and systems and communities. It’s how you manage through change and maintain stability that distinguishes you as a leader.

Doug Phares is the former CEO of the Sandusky News Group. He currently serves as managing director of Silverwind Enterprises, which owns and provides management services to small businesses. He can be reached at doug@silverwind.biz.