The world after the 2008 financial meltdown has presented a conundrum for leaders.  How do you invest energy in people, or include them in organizational decisions, when they might not be there tomorrow?  Is that a waste of time? How do you ask them to invest in moving the organization forward when they know they might never be part of that growth?

We can start by using the very principles of Inclusion as the HOW^SM that we leverage for organizational performance—particularly the 12 Inclusive Behaviors—to face the uncertainties and, together, move forward into them. Leaders can start this effort by leaning into their own discomfort. They can neither predict the future nor guarantee people that they will have jobs for life; that naturally produces anxiety. So leaders can lead more effectively by being transparent around this reality: dealing with it, facing it, owning it, and discussing it, among themselves and with the people of the organization—especially the people who may feel the greatest impact of whatever looms on the horizon.

Leaders must also create a safe space for two-way conversations with people about the volatility of the situation. This allows all people to see that they are not alone in their fears, that others throughout the organization share the same concerns, that the leaders care about them and what happens to them. (When that caring is truly present, it makes a big difference, but it must be authentic. If there is little or no caring, it should not be forced or stated.) At the same time, these conversations make it clear that everyone needs to continue doing their best work. This is not easy, but people need to avoid letting fear block them from taking risks, speaking up, and helping the organization reach higher levels of performance even in the face of this change.

Used in these ways, the 12 Inclusive Behaviors can foster the kinds of interaction that allow information to flow and trust to remain—even possibly to blossom. That trust is absolutely essential, not only for the general well-being of people in the organization, but also for their continued performance and contributions at a high level.

Can you see the cycle here? Inclusive behaviors help leaders build trust and cohesion in transitional times. That, in turn, creates a “safe enough” environment in which people can continue to leverage Inclusion as the HOW^SM as an accelerator of organizational performance, whatever the uncertainties of their personal situation.

You cannot guarantee job security. You can make sure everyone is valued and heard, even in uncertain times. If you do, a painful and uncertain process can have positive, growth-oriented outcomes for all concerned.        

In a former life, as part of my writing business, I would occasionally submit work to a client and hear nothing for days, even weeks. On one occasion, I called my contact and asked about the status. “Oh, everything’s fine,” he replied. “When you don’t hear from us, assume that the project’s done.”

Once I knew that, I was comfortable with the relationship. But what if I had never asked? The silence would have left me with gnawing questions. Were they delighted with the work, or was it merely “good enough”? Could I count on them for future business? Were there flaws in my writing—flaws I would never see without their input—that prevented me from developing in my ability to deliver to their needs?

The questions would have nibbled at me, sapping my energy, until I couldn’t do my best work.

I thought of this episode while reading Judith and Fred’s Be BIG: Step Up, Step Out, Be Bold. One line in particular jumped out at me: “You don’t have to Be BIG alone.”

That comes as a welcome relief—and a challenge.

Stepping up with no input, day after day after day, is trying to Be BIG alone. And it is fraught with peril. Not only is it an emotionally vulnerable position—an unsafe place—but you never know whether your work has value, aligns with your organization’s mission, or even crosses a line that should never be crossed. Like me with my client, no one can do their best work with these questions on their mind.

For us to Be BIG, then, we must be able to trust that the input will come. If we know that people will speak up in response to what we do—alerting us when we veer off course, giving us guidance to increase the value of our work, linking our output to organizational goals—we can pursue our best work with confidence and energy. Even if the input consists of silence, as with my client, we can accept it and move forward once we understand the nature of that silence.

That’s the welcome relief. Here’s the challenge: Being BIG also calls us to express our need for input. Just as I couldn’t read the mind of my client to get his reaction to the work, he also couldn’t read my mind to know that I needed input.  To paraphrase Be BIG, “If I want to Be BIG…I will tell you what I need.” By asking my client the question, I discovered the meaning of his silence and therefore could move forward free of concern for the future of the relationship.

Part of a strong working partnership is the ability to ask for and receive input. The more we can ask—the more we can trust that the input will be there when we need it, in whatever form—the more we can shake off the limits to showing up fully and doing our best work.