“People will choose unhappiness over uncertainty,” Timothy Ferriss once noted, summarizing several significant studies on human behavior.

Uncertainty and instability dysregulate our nervous systems. Survival instincts kick in, narrowing our focus and shrinking our capacity to be creative, collaborative, and innovative problem-solvers—ironically, at the exact moment we need those skills most.

This is when “what if” stories start circulating. Rumors grow legs. Gossip, drama, and distraction ramp up. And within days—sometimes hours—a workplace culture can shift from confidence to chaos. Productivity drops. Morale follows.

So what does leadership look like when instability is unavoidable?

How do you support your team when fear, ambiguity, and nervous system activation are running high?
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Acknowledge the Discomfort and Fear

The first step is to name reality.

Address the instability directly. Put it on the table—in broad daylight—and talk about it openly with your team. Don’t sugarcoat it. Call a spade a spade.

When leaders acknowledge fear and discomfort, it sends a powerful signal: I see you. I get it.

This kind of honesty creates foundational reassurance. It lets people know you’re all working from the same reality—and that no one is facing it alone. Instability becomes a shared experience, a shared discomfort, rather than an isolating one.

Collectively facing instability builds unity, steadiness, and the fortitude needed to navigate what’s ahead.
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Stabilize Your Nervous System First

As we often say, your team is a reflection of you.

One of the most important—and most overlooked—responsibilities of leadership is regulating your own nervous system.

Emotions are contagious. Your response to instability sets the tone.

If you’re revved up, catastrophizing, or quietly panicking, your team will feel it—even if your words say otherwise. When language communicates confidence but your energy signals fear, people sense the disconnect and become more anxious.

On the other hand, when you show up with genuine calm, clarity, and grounded confidence, you become a stabilizing force. Your regulated nervous system helps regulate the collective.

If you’re wondering how to do this, practices like intentional breathing, somatic movement, supportive nutrition, and mindfulness can all help. If you’d like a complimentary list of effective nervous-system regulation practices—for you and your team—email us at info@choosepeople.com, and we’ll send you the goods.
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Anchor a Consistent Message

Mixed messages breed fear.

In times of instability, your team needs a clear and consistent narrative they can return to again and again. This doesn’t mean pretending you know more than you do—it means reinforcing what is known.

Daily and weekly communication matters. Remind your team of shared values, collective resilience, and past experiences navigating challenge together.

For example:

“We’re in this together. This isn’t our first rodeo. We’re resilient and resourceful, and we’ll take this one step at a time.”

Consistency creates stability. It gives people something solid to stand on when the ground feels shaky.
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Bring Clear, Actionable Focus

Clarity is gold during uncertain times.

Rather than rigidly clinging to plans made before circumstances shifted, pause. Reassess. Adjust.

Offer short-term, bite-sized, actionable next steps that align with your core commitments. This helps your team stay oriented toward progress instead of fear.

Ask yourself—and your team:

• Given what we know now, what matters most in this moment?
• What small, meaningful actions can we take today that will positively impact tomorrow?

A clear, adaptable focus restores a sense of agency and momentum, even when the bigger picture remains unclear.
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Leading Without All the Answers

In uncertain times, effective leadership isn’t about having everything figured out.

It’s about providing steadiness, clarity, and confidence.

Acknowledge the discomfort. Regulate your own nervous system. Communicate consistently. Offer clear, actionable focus.

When you embody grounded leadership in the face of instability, you don’t just help your team weather the current moment—you build a culture of trust, resilience, and adaptability that will serve your organization long after the instability has passed.

Be authentic, keep centered—and lead on.