Jan. 26, 2026
Leading Without Clear Direction
You've been hired to lead, but no one's told you where you're going. You ask about strategy, goals, priorities—and get vague answers or silence. Yet somehow, you're still expected to deliver results, demonstrate initiative, and make the right calls. Sound familiar?
In this episode, we tackle one of leadership's most common but rarely discussed challenges: leading without clear direction. We'll explore why unclear expectations create conflict, the psychological toll of operating in ambiguity, and actionable strategies for moving forward when the path isn't clear.
If you've ever felt like you're flying blind while everyone else seems to know the plan, this episode is for you. You're not incapable—you're navigating a reality most leaders face but few talk about openly.
Perfect for leaders who feel stuck between the expectation to perform and the lack of clear organizational direction. New managers navigating ambiguous roles without adequate onboarding or guidance. Mid-level leaders caught between senior leadership's unclear strategy and their team's need for answers. Anyone who's been told to "figure it out" without being given the context to do so effectively.
Other helpful episodes
Overcoming Leadership Indecision...
Developing A Strategic Mindset
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WEBVTT
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[SPEAKER_00]: picture this, you're in a meeting and your boss asks for your plan to solve a problem.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You don't have one because no one told you that it was a problem or even a priority.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And immediately you fill a ball in the pit of your stomach.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And for some of you, this is not just a picture, this is a reality, and I want to let you know that you are not alone, so let's talk about it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Crossroads in Catalyst, the podcast with Shinita B. I am your host.
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[SPEAKER_00]: This is where we discuss how a thoughtful, wise, and strategic perspective at a crossroads can be the catalyst for change in your leadership and career.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Now, I don't know about you, but I have experienced more than once having an expectation to provide a solution for an objective that has not even been clearly stated or named.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You could be in a meeting or receive an email doesn't matter which form of contact that is used to make you aware of this situation, the point is still the same.
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[SPEAKER_00]: There's an expectation to lead, though the goal has not been clearly defined or even communicated.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So then how do you operate in these situations?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you risk looking ineffective or even foolish when asking questions?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Or how will you be perceived?
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[SPEAKER_00]: And these are just a few of the questions that I'm sure that you have, because I've experienced the same thing and had a ton of questions for myself.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And this is why I want to talk about this today, because I have definitely been where you are.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And this is way more common than you think that it is.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I've had several jobs where I have asked for strategic initiatives or goals only to be met with hot air.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, we have it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We have it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Is it documented?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we have it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: We'll cannot get a copy of it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, I'll send it to you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And you get nothing, not an email, not an inkling.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And if you don't raise the question again, no one will ever say anything.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So I can definitely tell you that this is way more common, right?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Organizations expect leaders to demonstrate initiative, vision, and strategic thinking, yet they often fail to provide the foundational clarity that makes those things possible.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You're basically supposed to fill the void that they've created, and
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[SPEAKER_00]: that is the problem.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm sure some of you are probably scratching your head because you're trying to figure out what you're supposed to be doing.
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[SPEAKER_00]: What did you miss?
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[SPEAKER_00]: All the while, the fundamental details may not have been shared with you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: To be sure, we have a responsibility as leaders to ask probing and fact-finding questions.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But when those questions go unanswered, it definitely makes an already tough job, feel overwhelming and burdensome.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Now, let me tell you, I can remember a job that I had where this happened.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And there was a statement that was directed right at me that basically said, okay, just provide us the plan to sustain the financial health of the organization.
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[SPEAKER_00]: It was like, oh, okay, well, it would probably help if I had some additional details.
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[SPEAKER_00]: like answers to some of the questions that I had asked or have been asking for quite some time now.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And again, they're in lies the problem.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And before we move forward with getting a little bit of clarity about these types of scenarios, I want to pause for a second and remind you to join other leaders like you and get the weekly insights to assist you in your leadership journey.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And you could do that at crossroads in catalyst.com slash newsletter and the link will also be in the show notes.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So getting back to our topic, why is this a problem?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, again, employers have expectations that they have not effectively communicated.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And if they have communicated anything at all, you have to figure out how to lead in these murky waters.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You might not have much guidance, and that is just the fact of the matter.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But really, another question is, what does this do to you?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, for starters, it causes you to second-guess yourself as if you needed anything else to to pile on to your, uh, your fears and doubts.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Look, you're going to question your competence and sometimes your worthiness as a result of some of this, but I want you to to be aware.
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[SPEAKER_00]: you are not your job.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You're not defined by what you do.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Your value goes beyond the deliverables that are submitted based on a PowerPoint presentation or an Excel spreadsheet or a strategic and initiative or vision.
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[SPEAKER_00]: It goes beyond that, okay?
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[SPEAKER_00]: And what situations like this do to us is they
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[SPEAKER_00]: our competence and our worthiness.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And I want you to be aware that this is not who you are.
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[SPEAKER_00]: This is just a part of what you do.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Partly to hopefully find some type of satisfaction in your work, but also to provide the need, the things that you need for yourself and your family.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But second, what it does is it undermines your work experience.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And it hinders your ability to carry out your work optimally.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Because you'll have this cloud hanging over your head because you're still trying to figure out what exactly is it that I'm supposed to do.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I'm a leader and I know that I'm supposed to lead.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm not really getting the information that I need to really help to make me effective at my job.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Third, it causes conflict between you and your leaders, you and your colleagues, and or you and your team.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Now, it doesn't necessarily happen that you're going to have conflict in every one of these areas, but the more ambiguity you have, the less clear things are, the more confusion sets in.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And what does that do?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, it causes frustration and stress.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And what do people do when they're
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[SPEAKER_00]: You know, they get short with people, they start to place blame.
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[SPEAKER_00]: There are host of things that people do as a result of it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And part of what you're supposed to do is you're supposed to help lead through the ambiguity.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But it's difficult for you if you're the one who's also unclear and confused about what you're supposed to do.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So ultimately all of this is taking a psychological toll on you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And it can definitely impact your physical health.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And so this is why we want to address it because we want to we want to get past the fog that ambiguity brings when it comes to to our work, especially if you're serving as a leader so what can you do?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I'm just going to give you a starting point.
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[SPEAKER_00]: because there's never an easy straightforward response to situations like this because every workplace is gonna be slightly different.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But what you can do, one is schedule a one-on-one with your boss and simply ask the questions that will give you clarity and document those things accordingly.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe you're asking, well, what kind of questions should I pose?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, this is definitely going to hinder on the context, the type of job that you have, but just start with some of the basic information, especially if it's a new position and you need to understand what are the goals, what, how are we tracking these goals, what is the timeline is there a timeline.
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[SPEAKER_00]: have we implemented process is that we're effective but for some reason they were discontinued who are the stakeholders have you handled challenges like this in the past and if so what did you do in the midst of those situations the more information the better okay the point is to ask as many questions as you think are necessary to give you the direction that you need and you know a caveat here because you might also be thinking well that's easier
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[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't want to appear incompetent.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, number one, you won't.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You will not appear incompetent.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And number two, who are they to judge you?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Your objective is to deliver good work, okay?
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[SPEAKER_00]: And the way to do that is to ask for what you need.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And again, I get it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: This may not always work well in some cultural
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[SPEAKER_00]: companies.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Some companies where the culture is very high stakes.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They don't pause long enough to even really give you the information that you need.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They kind of look at you with the side eye when you ask questions.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You have to judge for yourself if you're in a situation like that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I am always going to default to asking for clarification.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And you might be saying, well, you've been at this long enough, and you're a lot more comfortable doing that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe it's not as important to you what people think about you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And that may very well be true.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But what I'm telling you is you cannot live your life based on what you think others think of you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Their thoughts about you are their thoughts.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You can do nothing about that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: All you're trying to do is do your job well.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You go to work, to lead.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You go to be an effective leader.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You go to be someone who is engaging and is talented and can communicate.
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[SPEAKER_00]: These are the things that you have on your agenda.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The way that you demonstrate that is by engaging people and part of the way that you do that is asking your boss questions.
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[SPEAKER_00]: and they need to give you clarification and maybe it comes down to just terminology and how you're using the terminology and making sure that you're using terminology in the same way.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And this is definitely important if you've just recently started as a leader in a new organization because the words do not always translate in the same way.
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[SPEAKER_00]: from company to company.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I've learned that so many times over the years, you have to learn their language and not automatically assign and apply how you've used those words to the current situation.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You don't want to do that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, again, like I said, the caveat is, you know, what if it doesn't work?
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[SPEAKER_00]: or you're going to, you're saying that, you know, you've tried that and you still remain confused.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, then the next step would be to proceed based on your experience and based on your experience, this could really be that any similar scenario that you've had where the theory itself could be applied to your current situation, it does not have to be an apples to apples comparison, but if the principle is the same, then you can apply that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And what I also want you to do is to remain flexible.
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[SPEAKER_00]: This is going to work in your favor, because if you're flexible and you're nimble, you'll be able to pivot much more quickly.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And what exactly do I mean when I say be flexible?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, again, it's pivoting when you need to, so when you find that you've made a decision, and maybe you didn't have a lot of information to help you feel confident in making that decision, but one needed to be made anyway, well, when you recognize that that decision is not yielding the results that you anticipate it, okay?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Well, now it might be time to make a different decision to make a different move.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You don't want to dig your heels in, especially when you already knew
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[SPEAKER_00]: the appropriate level of information that was necessary to make a more informed decision.
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[SPEAKER_00]: As you start to make those decisions, you'll gain more information, more data to help you figure out what you need to do next.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But sometimes you're just going to have to start with less than desirable amounts of information.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And look, I once had a boss tell me what I asked about the expectations for my job.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They said to me, well, just do what you did in your other job, that was similar.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, well, that makes an assumption and the assumption is that the job that I had in the past and the one today are very similar to one another.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And okay, you cannot continue to make assumptions and think that it's going to always yield successful results, especially if you recognize that there are some major differences.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And so it doesn't always be you to just do things the way that you've always done them.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Now again, that might be
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[SPEAKER_00]: a decent starting place, but this is why I say you would want to look back to your experience and see figure out if there were some circumstances that had some similarities that can be you know kind of interchanged, right?
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[SPEAKER_00]: And then you can apply some of the lessons that you've learned in the past or some of the process is even to the current situation.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You know, you have to recognize that some senior leaders and even hold organizations are unclear because they too are trying to figure out what they're trying to do.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They're trying to figure out where where they want to be.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe they have a form, but they don't really have the substance.
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[SPEAKER_00]: and the processes built out.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe because there's still new, you're basically trying to fix the airplane while it's in the air, they're not always sure which direction to take.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And part of what you're there to do is to contribute your expertise and your experience.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And recognize that you are there because you are talented.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You are there because you've done the work.
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[SPEAKER_00]: are there because you have something meaningful to contribute.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So just keep that in mind as you're leading in these ambiguous situations and maybe you're not getting all of the information that you need especially as you're asking for that information.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And you've heard me say many times that
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[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, well, you're going to have to assess if your situation is one that is right with confusion or can incrementally change over time and become a more tolerable workspace.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Only you can define that because again, when you come to work, you don't leave your personal life at home.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And when you go home, you don't necessarily always leave your professional life at work.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You are a whole person.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The things that trouble you at work can easily bleed into your personal life and vice versa.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So if you find that working in this ambiguous environment,
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[SPEAKER_00]: after having asked many questions, thoughtful questions, not getting the information that you're needing.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe there's some conflict again between the different levels of the organization.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Your leaders, your colleagues, your team, whatever the case may be.
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[SPEAKER_00]: You have to really understand if this is going to continue to work for you long term because it's not it's not easy
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[SPEAKER_00]: places in which to find yourself, especially as a leader.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Because again, you are supposed to bring vision, you are supposed to bring strategic and critical thinking and help to turn an organization and get buy-in and
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[SPEAKER_00]: The less information that you have really the more you're going to have to rely up on your prior experience and you're going to have to demonstrate that you have the initiative and the motivation to make decisions without all of the information necessary.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I've done an episode about decision-making and so I'll leave a link to that in the show notes as well because it is important and again, whether you're new to an organization as a leader or whether you have some longevity.
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[SPEAKER_00]: in the organization where you're currently working as a leader.
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[SPEAKER_00]: The thought is the same.
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[SPEAKER_00]: ambiguity is uncomfortable, but you have to figure out a way to navigate it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And especially as you learn the people with whom you're working, you will begin to understand how they're using words and phrases, so that you pick up on how to apply that.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And you can glean information that is going to help you.
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[SPEAKER_00]: They're not going to know or some people are just going to withhold the information.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Let's face it.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Humans are not always forthcoming with information because things can get territorial, which might also be another reason why things are ambiguous.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But I digress that that's not the whole point.
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[SPEAKER_00]: But ultimately,
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[SPEAKER_00]: You can work your way through this, but you're going to have to be strategic, and figure out a map to help you to navigate through this season of your leadership journey.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So, I appreciate that you have taken the time to listen, and I want you to share your thoughts with me, and you can do this by leaving a voicemail.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Go to my website crossroads and catalyst.com slash voicemail, and you can record a message and send it to me.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So, it can be about this episode, it can be about some other topics that you would like to hear about.
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[SPEAKER_00]: anything that you have on your mind to share it with me there.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, and we will talk soon.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So until next time, be thoughtful, be wise, be strategic, and remember, Crossroads reveal who you are.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Catalysts shape who you become, every decision matters.
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[SPEAKER_00]: So make a count.
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[SPEAKER_00]: I'll talk to you next week.
00:00.976 --> 00:05.804
[SPEAKER_00]: picture this, you're in a meeting and your boss asks for your plan to solve a problem.
00:06.606 --> 00:12.576
[SPEAKER_00]: You don't have one because no one told you that it was a problem or even a priority.
00:12.596 --> 00:15.722
[SPEAKER_00]: And immediately you fill a ball in the pit of your stomach.
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[SPEAKER_00]: And for some of you, this is not just a picture, this is a reality, and I want to let you know that you are not alone, so let's talk about it.
00:25.073 --> 00:28.878
[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Crossroads in Catalyst, the podcast with Shinita B. I am your host.
00:29.198 --> 00:36.607
[SPEAKER_00]: This is where we discuss how a thoughtful, wise, and strategic perspective at a crossroads can be the catalyst for change in your leadership and career.
00:37.448 --> 00:48.381
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, I don't know about you, but I have experienced more than once having an expectation to provide a solution for an objective that has not even been clearly stated or named.
00:48.850 --> 00:57.606
[SPEAKER_00]: You could be in a meeting or receive an email doesn't matter which form of contact that is used to make you aware of this situation, the point is still the same.
00:58.247 --> 01:05.560
[SPEAKER_00]: There's an expectation to lead, though the goal has not been clearly defined or even communicated.
01:05.540 --> 01:07.983
[SPEAKER_00]: So then how do you operate in these situations?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Do you risk looking ineffective or even foolish when asking questions?
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[SPEAKER_00]: Or how will you be perceived?
01:14.311 --> 01:23.662
[SPEAKER_00]: And these are just a few of the questions that I'm sure that you have, because I've experienced the same thing and had a ton of questions for myself.
01:24.383 --> 01:29.489
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is why I want to talk about this today, because I have definitely been where you are.
01:29.529 --> 01:33.454
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is way more common than you think that it is.
01:33.434 --> 01:40.943
[SPEAKER_00]: I've had several jobs where I have asked for strategic initiatives or goals only to be met with hot air.
01:41.104 --> 01:42.125
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, we have it.
01:42.225 --> 01:42.746
[SPEAKER_00]: We have it.
01:43.066 --> 01:43.787
[SPEAKER_00]: Is it documented?
01:43.807 --> 01:44.508
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we have it.
01:44.528 --> 01:45.549
[SPEAKER_00]: We'll cannot get a copy of it.
01:45.830 --> 01:46.871
[SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, I'll send it to you.
01:47.712 --> 01:51.897
[SPEAKER_00]: And you get nothing, not an email, not an inkling.
01:51.937 --> 01:55.582
[SPEAKER_00]: And if you don't raise the question again, no one will ever say anything.
01:56.043 --> 02:01.990
[SPEAKER_00]: So I can definitely tell you that this is way more common, right?
02:01.970 --> 02:13.196
[SPEAKER_00]: Organizations expect leaders to demonstrate initiative, vision, and strategic thinking, yet they often fail to provide the foundational clarity that makes those things possible.
02:13.958 --> 02:17.987
[SPEAKER_00]: You're basically supposed to fill the void that they've created, and
02:18.355 --> 02:19.997
[SPEAKER_00]: that is the problem.
02:20.798 --> 02:25.402
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm sure some of you are probably scratching your head because you're trying to figure out what you're supposed to be doing.
02:25.803 --> 02:26.704
[SPEAKER_00]: What did you miss?
02:27.264 --> 02:30.668
[SPEAKER_00]: All the while, the fundamental details may not have been shared with you.
02:31.649 --> 02:36.654
[SPEAKER_00]: To be sure, we have a responsibility as leaders to ask probing and fact-finding questions.
02:37.235 --> 02:44.042
[SPEAKER_00]: But when those questions go unanswered, it definitely makes an already tough job, feel overwhelming and burdensome.
02:44.022 --> 02:47.989
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, let me tell you, I can remember a job that I had where this happened.
02:48.469 --> 02:57.004
[SPEAKER_00]: And there was a statement that was directed right at me that basically said, okay, just provide us the plan to sustain the financial health of the organization.
02:57.324 --> 03:03.735
[SPEAKER_00]: It was like, oh, okay, well, it would probably help if I had some additional details.
03:03.715 --> 03:10.203
[SPEAKER_00]: like answers to some of the questions that I had asked or have been asking for quite some time now.
03:11.084 --> 03:13.567
[SPEAKER_00]: And again, they're in lies the problem.
03:14.608 --> 03:29.385
[SPEAKER_00]: And before we move forward with getting a little bit of clarity about these types of scenarios, I want to pause for a second and remind you to join other leaders like you and get the weekly insights to assist you in your leadership journey.
03:29.365 --> 03:36.523
[SPEAKER_00]: And you could do that at crossroads in catalyst.com slash newsletter and the link will also be in the show notes.
03:36.824 --> 03:40.088
[SPEAKER_00]: So getting back to our topic, why is this a problem?
03:41.069 --> 03:45.213
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, again, employers have expectations that they have not effectively communicated.
03:45.253 --> 03:54.343
[SPEAKER_00]: And if they have communicated anything at all, you have to figure out how to lead in these murky waters.
03:54.664 --> 03:58.588
[SPEAKER_00]: You might not have much guidance, and that is just the fact of the matter.
03:59.449 --> 04:03.253
[SPEAKER_00]: But really, another question is, what does this do to you?
04:03.233 --> 04:13.667
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, for starters, it causes you to second-guess yourself as if you needed anything else to to pile on to your, uh, your fears and doubts.
04:14.749 --> 04:25.343
[SPEAKER_00]: Look, you're going to question your competence and sometimes your worthiness as a result of some of this, but I want you to to be aware.
04:26.909 --> 04:28.552
[SPEAKER_00]: you are not your job.
04:29.132 --> 04:31.316
[SPEAKER_00]: You're not defined by what you do.
04:32.317 --> 04:44.376
[SPEAKER_00]: Your value goes beyond the deliverables that are submitted based on a PowerPoint presentation or an Excel spreadsheet or a strategic and initiative or vision.
04:44.456 --> 04:46.599
[SPEAKER_00]: It goes beyond that, okay?
04:46.619 --> 04:51.887
[SPEAKER_00]: And what situations like this do to us is they
04:52.137 --> 04:54.360
[SPEAKER_00]: our competence and our worthiness.
04:54.780 --> 04:57.223
[SPEAKER_00]: And I want you to be aware that this is not who you are.
04:58.084 --> 04:59.946
[SPEAKER_00]: This is just a part of what you do.
05:01.207 --> 05:13.842
[SPEAKER_00]: Partly to hopefully find some type of satisfaction in your work, but also to provide the need, the things that you need for yourself and your family.
05:13.940 --> 05:17.344
[SPEAKER_00]: But second, what it does is it undermines your work experience.
05:17.885 --> 05:20.728
[SPEAKER_00]: And it hinders your ability to carry out your work optimally.
05:20.788 --> 05:26.855
[SPEAKER_00]: Because you'll have this cloud hanging over your head because you're still trying to figure out what exactly is it that I'm supposed to do.
05:26.875 --> 05:30.239
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm a leader and I know that I'm supposed to lead.
05:30.880 --> 05:37.568
[SPEAKER_00]: And I'm not really getting the information that I need to really help to make me effective at my job.
05:37.548 --> 05:45.996
[SPEAKER_00]: Third, it causes conflict between you and your leaders, you and your colleagues, and or you and your team.
05:46.576 --> 05:58.707
[SPEAKER_00]: Now, it doesn't necessarily happen that you're going to have conflict in every one of these areas, but the more ambiguity you have, the less clear things are, the more confusion sets in.
05:58.747 --> 06:00.389
[SPEAKER_00]: And what does that do?
06:00.509 --> 06:02.991
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, it causes frustration and stress.
06:03.111 --> 06:07.555
[SPEAKER_00]: And what do people do when they're
06:07.535 --> 06:12.503
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, they get short with people, they start to place blame.
06:12.804 --> 06:15.488
[SPEAKER_00]: There are host of things that people do as a result of it.
06:15.628 --> 06:21.117
[SPEAKER_00]: And part of what you're supposed to do is you're supposed to help lead through the ambiguity.
06:21.758 --> 06:27.728
[SPEAKER_00]: But it's difficult for you if you're the one who's also unclear and confused about what you're supposed to do.
06:28.389 --> 06:31.554
[SPEAKER_00]: So ultimately all of this is taking a psychological toll on you.
06:31.675 --> 06:33.778
[SPEAKER_00]: And it can definitely impact your physical health.
06:34.248 --> 06:47.222
[SPEAKER_00]: And so this is why we want to address it because we want to we want to get past the fog that ambiguity brings when it comes to to our work, especially if you're serving as a leader so what can you do?
06:47.262 --> 06:50.350
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I'm just going to give you a starting point.
06:51.798 --> 06:59.608
[SPEAKER_00]: because there's never an easy straightforward response to situations like this because every workplace is gonna be slightly different.
07:00.268 --> 07:11.302
[SPEAKER_00]: But what you can do, one is schedule a one-on-one with your boss and simply ask the questions that will give you clarity and document those things accordingly.
07:12.083 --> 07:17.029
[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe you're asking, well, what kind of questions should I pose?
07:17.448 --> 07:35.473
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, this is definitely going to hinder on the context, the type of job that you have, but just start with some of the basic information, especially if it's a new position and you need to understand what are the goals, what, how are we tracking these goals, what is the timeline is there a timeline.
07:35.453 --> 08:04.279
[SPEAKER_00]: have we implemented process is that we're effective but for some reason they were discontinued who are the stakeholders have you handled challenges like this in the past and if so what did you do in the midst of those situations the more information the better okay the point is to ask as many questions as you think are necessary to give you the direction that you need and you know a caveat here because you might also be thinking well that's easier
08:04.748 --> 08:07.392
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't want to appear incompetent.
08:07.932 --> 08:09.695
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, number one, you won't.
08:10.176 --> 08:12.158
[SPEAKER_00]: You will not appear incompetent.
08:12.519 --> 08:14.421
[SPEAKER_00]: And number two, who are they to judge you?
08:14.461 --> 08:19.388
[SPEAKER_00]: Your objective is to deliver good work, okay?
08:19.769 --> 08:23.714
[SPEAKER_00]: And the way to do that is to ask for what you need.
08:24.415 --> 08:26.318
[SPEAKER_00]: And again, I get it.
08:26.919 --> 08:31.465
[SPEAKER_00]: This may not always work well in some cultural
08:31.445 --> 08:32.046
[SPEAKER_00]: companies.
08:32.327 --> 08:36.154
[SPEAKER_00]: Some companies where the culture is very high stakes.
08:36.475 --> 08:40.242
[SPEAKER_00]: They don't pause long enough to even really give you the information that you need.
08:40.562 --> 08:43.187
[SPEAKER_00]: They kind of look at you with the side eye when you ask questions.
08:43.548 --> 08:47.095
[SPEAKER_00]: You have to judge for yourself if you're in a situation like that.
08:48.197 --> 08:53.166
[SPEAKER_00]: I am always going to default to asking for clarification.
08:54.125 --> 09:00.653
[SPEAKER_00]: And you might be saying, well, you've been at this long enough, and you're a lot more comfortable doing that.
09:01.173 --> 09:04.177
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe it's not as important to you what people think about you.
09:04.217 --> 09:06.440
[SPEAKER_00]: And that may very well be true.
09:07.041 --> 09:13.608
[SPEAKER_00]: But what I'm telling you is you cannot live your life based on what you think others think of you.
09:14.590 --> 09:16.572
[SPEAKER_00]: Their thoughts about you are their thoughts.
09:18.020 --> 09:20.302
[SPEAKER_00]: You can do nothing about that.
09:21.423 --> 09:24.105
[SPEAKER_00]: All you're trying to do is do your job well.
09:24.446 --> 09:26.828
[SPEAKER_00]: You go to work, to lead.
09:27.408 --> 09:28.930
[SPEAKER_00]: You go to be an effective leader.
09:29.270 --> 09:35.796
[SPEAKER_00]: You go to be someone who is engaging and is talented and can communicate.
09:36.196 --> 09:38.839
[SPEAKER_00]: These are the things that you have on your agenda.
09:39.479 --> 09:45.985
[SPEAKER_00]: The way that you demonstrate that is by engaging people and part of the way that you do that is asking your boss questions.
09:45.965 --> 09:57.338
[SPEAKER_00]: and they need to give you clarification and maybe it comes down to just terminology and how you're using the terminology and making sure that you're using terminology in the same way.
09:57.378 --> 10:08.530
[SPEAKER_00]: And this is definitely important if you've just recently started as a leader in a new organization because the words do not always translate in the same way.
10:08.510 --> 10:10.133
[SPEAKER_00]: from company to company.
10:10.313 --> 10:22.332
[SPEAKER_00]: I've learned that so many times over the years, you have to learn their language and not automatically assign and apply how you've used those words to the current situation.
10:22.352 --> 10:23.053
[SPEAKER_00]: You don't want to do that.
10:24.055 --> 10:24.376
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
10:24.876 --> 10:30.265
[SPEAKER_00]: And of course, again, like I said, the caveat is, you know, what if it doesn't work?
10:30.245 --> 10:34.489
[SPEAKER_00]: or you're going to, you're saying that, you know, you've tried that and you still remain confused.
10:35.130 --> 11:00.235
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, then the next step would be to proceed based on your experience and based on your experience, this could really be that any similar scenario that you've had where the theory itself could be applied to your current situation, it does not have to be an apples to apples comparison, but if the principle is the same, then you can apply that.
11:00.383 --> 11:03.588
[SPEAKER_00]: And what I also want you to do is to remain flexible.
11:04.029 --> 11:14.565
[SPEAKER_00]: This is going to work in your favor, because if you're flexible and you're nimble, you'll be able to pivot much more quickly.
11:14.946 --> 11:18.291
[SPEAKER_00]: And what exactly do I mean when I say be flexible?
11:18.271 --> 11:36.251
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, again, it's pivoting when you need to, so when you find that you've made a decision, and maybe you didn't have a lot of information to help you feel confident in making that decision, but one needed to be made anyway, well, when you recognize that that decision is not yielding the results that you anticipate it, okay?
11:36.271 --> 11:40.536
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, now it might be time to make a different decision to make a different move.
11:40.836 --> 11:46.422
[SPEAKER_00]: You don't want to dig your heels in, especially when you already knew
11:46.402 --> 11:52.450
[SPEAKER_00]: the appropriate level of information that was necessary to make a more informed decision.
11:52.871 --> 12:00.341
[SPEAKER_00]: As you start to make those decisions, you'll gain more information, more data to help you figure out what you need to do next.
12:00.361 --> 12:06.570
[SPEAKER_00]: But sometimes you're just going to have to start with less than desirable amounts of information.
12:07.057 --> 12:11.725
[SPEAKER_00]: And look, I once had a boss tell me what I asked about the expectations for my job.
12:12.326 --> 12:15.591
[SPEAKER_00]: They said to me, well, just do what you did in your other job, that was similar.
12:16.633 --> 12:26.128
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, well, that makes an assumption and the assumption is that the job that I had in the past and the one today are very similar to one another.
12:26.108 --> 12:39.432
[SPEAKER_00]: And okay, you cannot continue to make assumptions and think that it's going to always yield successful results, especially if you recognize that there are some major differences.
12:39.893 --> 12:46.164
[SPEAKER_00]: And so it doesn't always be you to just do things the way that you've always done them.
12:46.325 --> 12:47.627
[SPEAKER_00]: Now again, that might be
12:47.607 --> 13:04.567
[SPEAKER_00]: a decent starting place, but this is why I say you would want to look back to your experience and see figure out if there were some circumstances that had some similarities that can be you know kind of interchanged, right?
13:04.867 --> 13:12.957
[SPEAKER_00]: And then you can apply some of the lessons that you've learned in the past or some of the process is even to the current situation.
13:13.088 --> 13:22.461
[SPEAKER_00]: You know, you have to recognize that some senior leaders and even hold organizations are unclear because they too are trying to figure out what they're trying to do.
13:23.262 --> 13:26.126
[SPEAKER_00]: They're trying to figure out where where they want to be.
13:26.626 --> 13:33.055
[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe they have a form, but they don't really have the substance.
13:33.338 --> 13:35.301
[SPEAKER_00]: and the processes built out.
13:35.401 --> 13:45.995
[SPEAKER_00]: And maybe because there's still new, you're basically trying to fix the airplane while it's in the air, they're not always sure which direction to take.
13:46.496 --> 13:53.966
[SPEAKER_00]: And part of what you're there to do is to contribute your expertise and your experience.
13:53.986 --> 13:58.432
[SPEAKER_00]: And recognize that you are there because you are talented.
13:58.953 --> 14:02.097
[SPEAKER_00]: You are there because you've done the work.
14:02.077 --> 14:05.702
[SPEAKER_00]: are there because you have something meaningful to contribute.
14:06.383 --> 14:19.222
[SPEAKER_00]: So just keep that in mind as you're leading in these ambiguous situations and maybe you're not getting all of the information that you need especially as you're asking for that information.
14:20.124 --> 14:29.097
[SPEAKER_00]: And you've heard me say many times that
14:30.713 --> 14:42.107
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, well, you're going to have to assess if your situation is one that is right with confusion or can incrementally change over time and become a more tolerable workspace.
14:43.188 --> 14:51.118
[SPEAKER_00]: Only you can define that because again, when you come to work, you don't leave your personal life at home.
14:51.098 --> 14:57.130
[SPEAKER_00]: And when you go home, you don't necessarily always leave your professional life at work.
14:58.032 --> 14:59.595
[SPEAKER_00]: You are a whole person.
15:00.797 --> 15:07.049
[SPEAKER_00]: The things that trouble you at work can easily bleed into your personal life and vice versa.
15:07.710 --> 15:11.638
[SPEAKER_00]: So if you find that working in this ambiguous environment,
15:11.618 --> 15:17.424
[SPEAKER_00]: after having asked many questions, thoughtful questions, not getting the information that you're needing.
15:17.784 --> 15:23.030
[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe there's some conflict again between the different levels of the organization.
15:23.070 --> 15:26.393
[SPEAKER_00]: Your leaders, your colleagues, your team, whatever the case may be.
15:26.834 --> 15:40.748
[SPEAKER_00]: You have to really understand if this is going to continue to work for you long term because it's not it's not easy
15:41.116 --> 15:44.144
[SPEAKER_00]: places in which to find yourself, especially as a leader.
15:44.565 --> 15:56.577
[SPEAKER_00]: Because again, you are supposed to bring vision, you are supposed to bring strategic and critical thinking and help to turn an organization and get buy-in and
15:57.063 --> 16:12.743
[SPEAKER_00]: The less information that you have really the more you're going to have to rely up on your prior experience and you're going to have to demonstrate that you have the initiative and the motivation to make decisions without all of the information necessary.
16:12.723 --> 16:27.947
[SPEAKER_00]: I've done an episode about decision-making and so I'll leave a link to that in the show notes as well because it is important and again, whether you're new to an organization as a leader or whether you have some longevity.
16:27.927 --> 16:30.651
[SPEAKER_00]: in the organization where you're currently working as a leader.
16:31.732 --> 16:34.396
[SPEAKER_00]: The thought is the same.
16:34.977 --> 16:38.622
[SPEAKER_00]: ambiguity is uncomfortable, but you have to figure out a way to navigate it.
16:39.103 --> 16:51.901
[SPEAKER_00]: And especially as you learn the people with whom you're working, you will begin to understand how they're using words and phrases, so that you pick up on how to apply that.
16:52.282 --> 16:57.529
[SPEAKER_00]: And you can glean information that is going to help you.
16:58.100 --> 17:01.065
[SPEAKER_00]: They're not going to know or some people are just going to withhold the information.
17:01.085 --> 17:01.645
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's face it.
17:02.286 --> 17:11.961
[SPEAKER_00]: Humans are not always forthcoming with information because things can get territorial, which might also be another reason why things are ambiguous.
17:12.542 --> 17:15.046
[SPEAKER_00]: But I digress that that's not the whole point.
17:15.667 --> 17:17.610
[SPEAKER_00]: But ultimately,
17:18.822 --> 17:36.662
[SPEAKER_00]: You can work your way through this, but you're going to have to be strategic, and figure out a map to help you to navigate through this season of your leadership journey.
17:36.642 --> 17:44.593
[SPEAKER_00]: So, I appreciate that you have taken the time to listen, and I want you to share your thoughts with me, and you can do this by leaving a voicemail.
17:45.434 --> 17:54.006
[SPEAKER_00]: Go to my website crossroads and catalyst.com slash voicemail, and you can record a message and send it to me.
17:54.346 --> 18:00.675
[SPEAKER_00]: So, it can be about this episode, it can be about some other topics that you would like to hear about.
18:00.655 --> 18:03.260
[SPEAKER_00]: anything that you have on your mind to share it with me there.
18:03.881 --> 18:06.306
[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, and we will talk soon.
18:06.466 --> 18:14.260
[SPEAKER_00]: So until next time, be thoughtful, be wise, be strategic, and remember, Crossroads reveal who you are.
18:14.801 --> 18:18.088
[SPEAKER_00]: Catalysts shape who you become, every decision matters.
18:18.548 --> 18:19.290
[SPEAKER_00]: So make a count.
18:19.971 --> 18:20.993
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll talk to you next week.