My article last week got me reflecting more about ambiguity in general. Because it’s not just about risk analysis, but dealing in an environment which is unpredictable. Where every action – or inaction – can lead to unexpected results.

It feels more important right now, because the whole world seems more unpredictable than before. But I would argue that it’s not substantially different than before, and in fact things are stabilizing after surviving the once-in-a-lifetime pandemic experience.

Sure, the government regulators are talking about moves that impact us.

Customer needs are changing.

Supply chains aren’t stable.

Employees are throwing us curveballs.

But all of this has been my “normal” for decades now. Things are dynamic. Any stability is probably an illusion leading us into complacency.

Let’s face it: Our job is to deal with this ever-changing environment. People need leadership precisely because things are changing.

So we look at available information with a sense of limited time. We put together the best informed decision that we can with the support (or not) of others. Then we articulate direction and align people to consistently deliver results.

Then do it all again. The need for leadership never goes away.