Uncertainty has a way of testing even the strongest teams. Over the past year many leaders have shared the same quiet confession with our team.
“I am trying so hard to hold everyone together while feeling like I’m falling apart inside.”
If you have felt this too, you are not alone. Increasingly leaders across every industry are navigating constant change, the rapid pace of information shifts, and a growing sense of pressure to show up strong even when they have no clear path forward. Many are leading without clarity and trying to inspire people when they themselves feel unsure. This combination has created one of the most challenging leadership environments of the last decade.
Recently our team at Inclusivv facilitated two powerful conversations with a congressionally funded organization in the affordable housing space during one of the most difficult moments in their history. They were deep into the federal government shutdown. Day 27 and 28 to be exact. Their people were exhausted. Their leaders were overwhelmed. Everyone was trying to stay steady while the ground beneath them moved.
They gathered for two Inclusivv sessions on Navigating Uncertainty During Challenging Times. What happened inside those conversations was transformational. And what they uncovered reflects what millions of workers are navigating today. This is the story. And more importantly, the steps you can take to help your own people move from strain to strength during uncertain times.
Before the conversations began, leaders across the organization described what uncertainty had done to them. Their descriptions matched a growing trend seen across workplaces today. Leading without reliable rules and predictable structures places significant emotional strain on even the most experienced professionals.
Many felt emotionally taxed and stretched thin. They described the pressure to appear steady and confident even when they had no answers. They struggled with the loss of predictability they once relied on. They carried the invisible weight of others morale, stress, and wellbeing. Some quietly wrestled with fear of being authentic because vulnerability had once been punished or misunderstood in past work environments.
One leader summed it up simply. “Our shared rules are no longer reliable and that is scary.”
This feeling of leading in the fog is becoming increasingly common. Research shows that uncertainty triggers the brain’s threat response which makes it harder to think long term, regulate emotions, and collaborate effectively. According to McKinsey about 70 percent of leaders report burnout symptoms during prolonged periods of uncertainty. Gallup data shows that employees who lack clarity about goals and expectations are four times more likely to experience stress disengagement and confusion.
In other words, uncertainty affects not only strategy but also mental health and emotional wellbeing. And when leaders are carrying this weight alone it compounds. Many leaders described feeling responsible for stabilizing everyone else while quietly feeling their own foundation shake.
Despite the exhaustion the mission remained strong. Leaders described a team that was proud of its work yet running on fumes. What they witnessed mirrors what many organizations face during uncertain times. Teams experience both resilience and strain at the same time.
ResilienceStrain
One person explained the conflict clearly. “It helps to focus on the mission. But it is hard to be hopeful and human at the same time.”
This emotional duality is backed by neuroscience. During prolonged uncertainty the body releases higher levels of cortisol which reduces creativity, patience, and compassion. This is why people may appear reactive or withdrawn even if they care deeply about the work. It is a physiological response not a personal failure. When leaders understand this they can judge less and support more.
Across both days something remarkable happened. Leaders who walked in feeling scattered and drained began to feel connected, grounded, and hopeful again. Several shared that they no longer felt alone. Words like supported, uplifted, relieved, encouraged, and fired up replaced earlier emotions like uncertain, unsettled, and overwhelmed.
What created that shift:
When people spoke openly about the weight they were carrying something softened in the room. It broke the illusion that leaders must power through on their own. Storytelling allowed people to release pressure they had been holding for months.
Each leader joined a group of three with a trained facilitator. Small groups create psychological safety more quickly than larger settings. With only four people in the breakout room the conversation became intimate, real, and compassionate. People shared truths they had not said aloud before.
As they listened to each other they realized they were wrestling with similar fears and doubts. This reduced isolation and helped them understand that what they were experiencing was normal in a moment of intense uncertainty.
One phrase echoed across groups. “I feel validated. I am not crazy.”
Validation is a powerful psychological need during uncertain times. When people feel validated their nervous systems relax and they can think more clearly. This is the foundation of psychological safety.
One participant said “This feels like my village during this time.”
Connection creates grounding. It helps people stay resilient even when clarity is missing. These conversations reminded everyone that uncertainty becomes more manageable when shared.
The transformation that took place during these conversations aligns with a broad body of research.
Structured conversations help people shift out of survival mode. They create the conditions for trust, creativity, and collaboration to return. When the nervous system feels safe the mind can think more clearly.
This is why Inclusivv’s model works. It blends psychological safety, skilled facilitation, and guided storytelling into a structure that helps teams stay grounded during turbulent times. It gives people a predictable space where they can process uncertainty together rather than in isolation.
Here are practical steps any leader can take when the future feels foggy.
People cannot release stress or fear if there is no space to talk about it.
You do not need to have all the answers. Being transparent about what is known and unknown builds trust.
Four to six person groups are intimate enough to encourage honesty while still offering diverse perspectives.
Recognition helps teams remember who they are and what they are capable of.
Leaders who assume others are doing their best create cultures that are more compassionate and sustainable.
Quick check ins, shared reflections, and small moments of connection create a sense of belonging.
Structured peer to peer conversation creates psychological safety and helps teams stay centered during difficult times.
If your team is carrying stress worry or fatigue right now there is a path forward that does not require a massive overhaul.
It starts with connection.
It grows through honesty.
It takes root in shared dialogue.
Inclusivv conversations help teams slow down breathe and reconnect when everything around them is moving fast. They give leaders space to speak truthfully. They help rebuild trust. And they restore the hope that uncertainty tends to steal.
If you want to explore how this can support your organization we would love to talk with you. A short consultation can help you understand what this model could look like for your team.
Your people deserve to feel steady.
Your leaders deserve support.
Your organization deserves resilience that lasts.