EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ’ S REPORT
MITCHELL C . SKLAR
Leading Amid Uncertainty
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | September 2020
It has been said that uncertainty is like the weather : It is always there , part of the atmosphere , and over which we have very little control . The severity of uncertainty , like the severity of the weather , can rise and fall . Right now , we are all operating in an exceptionally uncertain environment – an undeniable if not exactly original insight . Creating a semblance of certainty is among the most important tasks leaders can undertake at a time like this . Some of the best advice from chief executives in this regard that I have come across has been published in strategy + business i ( both the print and online versions ). Some noteworthy approaches that leaders have shared ii include :
· There is no such thing as overcommunication . Even in “ normal ” times , minds have a tendency to drift to worrisome scenarios in the absence of communication — and that tendency is magnified exponentially when worries are justified .
· Reinforce your organization ’ s values . In times of crisis , organizations face a choice : to use their core values as a compass to navigate the challenge , or to set them aside temporarily when they have to make tough decisions that cut against these values , with a promise to return to them again in calmer times . The former approach will build trust and credibility — the latter will make it quickly evaporate .
· Keep doing the job . Yes , that may seem , well , obvious , but it can be easy for the focus on the crisis to overshadow the need to keep executing the organization ’ s overall strategy , even if a new plan has to be created to address the crisis . Organizations need momentum and purpose , and employees need to know that senior leadership is still focused on achieving the mission .
This last point – the need for momentum and purpose – is in fact at the center of my own personal leadership philosophy in good times and bad . The past six months have been beyond bad of course , and when uncertainty defines the operational environment , “ the interlinked and mutually reinforcing attributes required to succeed in uncertainty are clear . Whether the topic is strategy or workforce , operations or deals … the same message applies . Organizations must have a bias toward action .” iii
No one action , by itself , can dispel a heavy cloud of uncertainty or significantly mitigate its impact . But if organizations can get out of their defensive crouch and assume a more aggressive stance , they have a better chance of maintaining their balance and shaping their future . Building and harnessing the mutually reinforcing attributes of optionality , agility , and resilience will enable leaders to adopt the strategies and mind-sets that allow them to succeed in the full spectrum of uncertain outcomes . iv
Our state ’ s law enforcement agencies have been exceptional at maintaining momentum over the past 6 months in the face of a series of unpredictable circumstances . The NJSACOP , too , has maintained our focus on our mission during these uncertain times . Early on at the onset of the current crisis we pivoted towards serving as the prime conduit for critical information to our members and their agencies . Building on this , we established an online Resource center and virtual briefings . The Association
also accelerated our plans to establish an online hub for professional development , education , and training , unveiling the NJSACOP e-Learning Center last month . Perhaps more significantly , we are moving forward with an aggressive public affairs agenda – about which our members and stakeholders will be hearing much more shortly .
To paraphrase Albert Einstein , to keep your balance , you must keep moving forward . This is never more true than when confronting uncertainty and crisis .
Mitchell C . Sklar , Esq . NJSACOP Executive Director
i The material from which I have drawn for this article can be found in the Summer 2020 / Issue 99 edition and the April 7 , 2020 online edition . ii Bryant , A . ( April 7 , 2020 ). A test for leaders : Creating certainty amid uncertainty . strategy + business . Retrieved from https :// www . strategy-business . com / blog / A-test-for-leaders-Creating-certainty-amid-uncertainty ? gko = e653b iii Jackson-Moore , W ., Swanston , H ., & Kande , M . ( Summer 2020 ). How to succeed in uncertain times . strategy + business . Retrieved from https :// www . strategy-business . com / article / How-to-succeed-in-uncertain-times iv Ibid .
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