Ten Ways …


to live with uncertainty By Robert Ashton


There’s a line I seem to remember from watching Laurel and Hardy films as a child. Confronted by each of the many slapstick calamities the duo encountered, Oliver Hardy would say to Stan Laurel: ‘Don’t just stand there; do something.’ Stan would then ruffle his hair and look confused, and so things would get worse, leading to even more laughs. Or course the current pandemic is far from funny, but too many are


responding to the current uncertainly with inertia. Unsure which way to turn, people are opting to do nothing and wait to see what happens. In my experience, doing nothing is never the best option. Even doing the wrong thing is usually better than doing nothing at all, as it least you learn something from the experience. To me, life and particularly work, is like riding a bike; to stop moving means to fall. I’m also encouraged by the fact that current events are not unique.


History tells us that normality will one day return, and in the animal feed industry, the show has to go on because mouths have to be fed. How we each deal with uncertainty now, will set the scene for how are able to exploit the opportunities the future will inevitably offer. Here then, to encourage you off any fences you might be uncomfortably perched on, are 10 ways to live with uncertainty:


1. Be first – I have always been an early adopter, quick to get


involved while others are still weighing up the pros and cons. In my experience, if something feels right, it probably will be right. Too many spend ages seeking out facts they can use to justify backing a hunch. In challenging times, when we’re all having to do things differently, there will rarely be enough reassuring evidence so follow your instinct and jump!


2. Ignore the distractions – I’m a trustee of a charity where the


Board has, over the years, become far too involved in the day to day running of the charity. Immersed in detail, they’ve lost sight of the big picture and only now are nettles being grasped. Allow yourself to be distracted by the small things, and you’ll will veer off track. Focus on what matters most.


3. Set and keep deadlines – When I was a young salesman in


the 1970s, I was taught the importance of creating urgency. Without a deadline, human nature is to let things drift and now is not a time for coasting. Set deadlines, for yourself and those around you, and stick to them.


4. Buy a whiteboard – I have a huge whiteboard that covers one wall of my office. When facing uncertainty, I will list the strengths and weaknesses of the options I am considering. A


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whiteboard cannot be ignored, and provides a very visual way to make decisions. It also allows you to invite others to see, and add their comments, so that they feel greater ownership of the decision when it is finally made.


Imagine the worst, plan for the best – my wife will tell you that


one of my weaknesses is the way I will extrapolate to an illogical extent, the possible outcomes of the options I am considering. But I believe that only when you have contemplated the worst that can happen, can you enjoy the satisfaction of what turns out to be a better result. Develop a fertile imagination and celebrate avoiding the apocalypse!


6. Dip your toe in the water – Sometimes, just sometimes, you


have the opportunity to test the water and explore a number of ways ahead, before choosing one over the other. However, you rarely have the time or resources to back more than one option, so don’t spend too much time with your toe dangling in the wet stuff!


7. Sleep on it – It sounds trite, but it really can help to let your


subconscious process a big decision overnight. Try reviewing the options before you go to bed, and see if the way ahead appears just a little clearer in the morning. It’s worked for me and might well work for you too.


8. Change the question – So often in my experience, a problem


becomes easier to solve when you change the question you think you are being asked. More often than you might think, what people want is different from what they actually need. At times like today, fear of the unknown can cloud judgement and few choices are actually binary. Look for compromise and the chances are you’ll find a gentler new way forward.


Seek consensus – Of course there is a real danger that the


more people you ask, the more possible answers you will hear. But when a decision can impact on the lives of many people, it makes sense to involve them in the process. While you may have to make the final decision, involving others can make sure.


10. Retain a Plan B – Just as a fighter pilot carries a parachute, so too do you need a personal Plan B. Of course we all want to minimise risk, but sometimes the best way to confront uncertainty means that you personally have to suffer. Public sector leaders appear to have a real skill at negotiating generous pay-offs, but in the world you and I inhabit, that is rarely an option. When merging two organisations has been the best way forward, I’ve always made sure the departing leader can see how they now have the opportunity to realise long held ambitions.


Of course the best way to deal with uncertainty is to create a new


certainty through innovation. Just as video conferencing applications such as Zoom have been around for some time, so too will there inevitably be solutions to some of the uncertainties you are facing today, just waiting to be discovered. Now is a good time to look back at things that were rejected in the past as unnecessary that might just be highly relevant today.


Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com


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