What are the key competencies and mindsets for leading in a complex and uncertain environment?

I agree, however, I would also submit that moving out of your comfort zone is one of the best tools for growing your agility muscle. Though agility is what you're seeking, you must start with mindset and training your mind to appreciate being in situations that encourage your growth.

I agree. One thing I also found very helpful is to realize that you are living in the moment. You can fly the plane while building it, change plans, make predictions and enjoy it even under pressure. Don't let perfection become the enemy of good. You can laugh at cockamamy ideas and innovations that come from this.

Key competencies and mindsets for leading in complex and uncertain environments include adaptability, resilience, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, decision-making, creativity, collaboration, continuous learning, visionary leadership, and ethical leadership. Leaders must be able to adjust strategies quickly, bounce back from setbacks, think critically about future challenges, manage emotions effectively, make informed decisions, foster innovation, collaborate with others, embrace learning, inspire a clear vision, and act with integrity. These qualities enable leaders to navigate ambiguity, inspire confidence, and drive success in dynamic environments.

In my own research, the key capability identified is to hold ambiguity. We exist in systems where we are trained and rewarded for setting context, framing action, and taking it. But we tend to be poor at holding onto ambiguity and revisiting context, meaning if our initial diagnosis is wrong (which it often is in an evolving context) we can fail.

In my experience, creativity stems in large part from an openness to ever do something. In essence, being okay with being a trailblazer and charting a path for others follow. My belief is that one should never be hampered by what doesn't exist. Instead, time and energy should be spent on creating the "new".

Most important skill is to be able to translate experiences from one domain to another. This makes you able to generate new ideas faster with more solid foundations.

It's vital--especially during great organizational change--that you increase your own and your team's capacity to think outside the box and encourage new ideas. Innovative thinking leads to novel solutions that can address unprecedented problems in uncertain environments. At the same time, consider these periods of change to be a forcing function to remove or adapt older ways that have simply been in states of 'it is what it is'.

Too often we don’t realize the difference between the intent of our communication versus the impact our message has upon our audience. As clear communicators, it is our responsibility to own the intent of our message and to assess and understand the impact of our message. When intent and impact of your communication don’t align, take responsibility and reframe and rephrase. If this happens frequently, consider getting assistance to strengthen your communication style.

During times of uncertainty, employees can feel uneasy and unsure about what to expect. Therefore, it is also important to communicate often and with as much transparency as possible to build trust and to alleviate any concerns.

Collaboration involves working with others towards shared goals, respecting diverse opinions and backgrounds. Effective communication, on the other hand, entails conveying information clearly and persuasively. To strengthen these skills, practice active listening, clear expression, and the constructive exchange of feedback. These competencies foster strong leadership in challenging contexts.

You may be confusing people with your communication style. Stop and evaluate if you are communicating to some and not to others. Have you given up and stopped communicating? Or do you think they should know if they're any good. Stop and communicate the results areas and what are the key indicators of success. Collaboration and alignment will be the result.

I think to lead in complex and uncertain environments often involves a humility of leadership. A willingness to hold onto uncertainty, and a capability to build diverse networks, and be willing to listen within them. The notion of the hero leader driving through complexity is naive.

In my experience, understanding the entire environment and all the factors from all sides is extremely important. Once the data is collected , you must put egos aside and formulate the plan that encompasses sound reasoning to build the framework for success. It’s ok if it’s different from your initial thoughts. What matters most is that your plans changed based on the empirical data to implement effective change. A good leader is transformational and listens before reacts.

I tend to think about these additional 5 skills in parallel to Dweck's Growth Mindset... These traits also encourages continuous improvement and resilience, essential for navigating uncertainties. - Openness to Change - Tolerance for Ambiguity, which also reduces stress and indecision, enabling leaders to act confidently despite unknowns. - Curiosity - Reflective Practice - Empathy