Leading a Startup Team in a Time of Uncertainty

There’s never a bad time to solve real problems, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be difficult.

Sometimes being the co-worker and leader you want to be is easy and natural. And sometimes there is a global pandemic.

When the future feels uncertain, people tend to do one of two things. They either feel powerless and fall into a mindset that work doesn’t matter or they throw themselves into work and try to control everything.

My personal tendency is to do the latter. Intellectually, I know that some things are out of my control, but I want to do anything and everything I can to plan for every potential outcome.

When your go-to coping mechanism is to do everything, the problem is you leave very little room for your team around you to shine and do what you hired them for in the first place!

Now more than ever, leaders must prioritize team inclusion. Teams are much more likely to be innovative and engaged when everyone feels like their contributions matter.

Being in crisis mode can cause even the most intentional and well-meaning leaders to revert to their instinctual work mode. Instead, it’s more effective to take the time to assess how your team can respond and address these new challenges, focusing on what you have the ability to solve for. Of course that requires accepting those things that are simply out of our control.

In the past, challenging and uncertain times have given birth to some of the best ideas and companies.

Nobody knows what the future holds, but building a startup means we’re in a position where we have the opportunity to make a real difference in real people’s lives. In Nutshell’s case, we are building a solution that helps set families up for success.

The team believes in our mission and we know the market needs the solution we’re providing. They want meaningful opportunities to contribute. As a founder and leader, you need their continued passion.

I can’t promise I will stop planning for the 100 potential outcomes, but I can ensure that everyone is heard, make it easy to propose novel ideas, give team members decision-making authority, and celebrate team wins — big and small.

If you know that your tendency is to go heads down in these difficult times, take a moment to ask yourself if are you being the leader you aspire to be? Remember to be patient and kind to yourself. We are always learning and growing… just let your team learn with you.