Volatility Requires Increased Communication
Volatility is gearing up to be the word of the year for 2025. It seems everywhere we turn these days changes are imminent and required for a positive future. Unfortunately, the speed and magnitude has been creating quite a bit of overwhelm, regardless of our professional, personal, or civic lives. As I speak to leaders and hear their desires to provide timely and impactful responses, I'm continually brought back to the essentials of change that help manage disruption and offer teams an optimistic outlook.
Communication is key for leaders, in many parts of their roles. While it is important to be clear, direct and thorough, reciprocity in communication is essential when moving through changes.
A game of catch is a great metaphor for this kind of interaction, where the roles of thrower and receiver are clear, and it’s easy to recognize when switching roles is needed. In a two-person exchange the ability to focus on only one other person makes the communication delivery, as well as the understanding, easy to decipher. It also makes it easier to seek clarity if there’s misunderstanding. With more people, it is harder to keep track of who has the ball and what they need. When we think of those balls in the air as information the missing gaps present themselves quickly, and we know if information isn’t getting to the right people at the right time.
Leaders must consider who to communicate with and how capturing their attention will inspire action. Similarly, they need to consider who they are hearing from; who may need to provide contextual information about daily, evolving details that will otherwise become irrelevant if it’s not responded to in a timely way.
Having structures that support information sharing allows everyone to understand what is happening and respond in a timely manner. Begin by knowing where communication gaps exist by reviewing an organizational chart and drawing lines between direct communicators. Those missing links are a great starting point to get curious about - is there information these groups have that you as a leader are not aware of?
A more formal structural change would establish structures that prioritize feedback loops, with a clear understanding of how to collect and share information, tying horizontal and vertical to each other. Building feedback loops into the structure of the organization creates the conditions needed to apply changes and adapt to unexpected pivots; change becomes easier to implement and therefore the volatility less threatening.