There have never been times as uncertain as these for advancement professionals. Updates come faster than you can envision their repercussions and you constantly must adjust plans based on new facts.  

“Take a few steps now to conquer your current challenges,” Kathy Miller Perkins recommends in Forbes. “And in the process of stepping up, you will develop deeper leadership capabilities that will last long beyond the current crises.” 

Below are four things to think about in these trying times. 

Don’t Become Paralyzed by Uncertainty 

Unfortunately, sometimes being a leader means the less you know, the more decisions you are required to make. If we don’t know when this crisis will end, there are a lot of decisions to be made in the meantime and it takes courage to forge ahead. 

“Gather the best data available to you and move forward. Give up the belief that a perfect solution will come to you if you wait long enough. When the world is unstable, flawless answers do not exist,” Miller Perkins says.  

Find Some Stability in the Chaos 

Though things can change daily, if not hourly, in a crisis, there are some elements of your job that do not change. It helps to focus on that. 

The unchanging value and mission of your organization can help you focus, as well as serve as a guidepost, in times of crisis.  

“Turn to these anchors to find steady footing in the turbulence,” Miller Perkins says. “Unchanging corporate integrity should serve as the framework for decisions and actions all of the time, and especially during periods of uncertainty.” 

Learn to Live with Ambiguity 

Times of crisis serve as a reminder that life is always ambiguous, so now is as good a time as any to learn to deal with that fact of life. 

“Effective leaders accept the vagaries of life and work and carry on courageously,” Miller Perkins says. 

Accept Life’s Paradoxes 

In any hard time, you can learn new things to help you and your organization. The challenges of crisis will make you more resilient in the long run. 

“Ask yourself what you and your company might learn from the current crises,” Miller Perkins says. “Can you create new products and services that address our present circumstances? Can you innovate the way you design and deliver your products and services?” 

Through it all, be transparent with your internal and external stakeholders as we all have a lot to learn in this uncertain time.