How to Communicate Change When You Don’t Know the Outcome

When leading through uncertainty, your team doesn’t expect you to have all the answers, but they do need clarity, honesty, and consistency. Effective communication during change is about managing emotions, building trust, and keeping people aligned, even when the destination is unclear.

Here’s how you can lead with confidence when outcomes are uncertain:

✓ Be transparent: Share what you know, admit what you don’t, and explain the reasoning behind decisions.
✓ Establish routines: Regular updates, clear channels, and opportunities for feedback help maintain stability.
✓ Use storytelling: Frame the change as part of a shared journey, giving your team a sense of purpose.
✓ Involve your team: Encourage input and co-create the narrative to build ownership and engagement.
✓ Stay flexible: Adjust your approach based on feedback and evolving circumstances.

Communicating Through Uncertainty: Practical Leadership Skills for Unclear Times

Building Trust Through Transparency and Honesty

Guiding a team through uncertain times is no small feat, and trust becomes your most valuable currency. By being transparent and honest, you can maintain your team’s confidence, even when the road ahead is unclear. Sharing what you know - and admitting what you don’t - sets the tone for open communication.

How Transparency Strengthens Leadership

Transparency eases the fear of the unknown, a feeling that naturally emerges during change. When you provide clear and straightforward information, it helps curb anxiety and stops speculation in its tracks.

"In today's workplace, employees aren't just asking for information - they're asking for honesty." - David Grossman

One of the cornerstones of transparent communication is explaining the "why" behind decisions, not just the "what." By sharing your reasoning, even when the outcome isn’t fully defined, you help your team understand your thought process. This insight into your decision-making builds confidence in your leadership, even when the future feels uncertain.

Make transparency a guiding principle by fostering a culture where information flows freely, and questions are welcomed. Openness not only creates psychological safety but also aligns the team with shared goals. When everyone has access to the same information, they are better equipped to make decisions, even in your absence.

This approach lays the groundwork for balancing honesty with realistic expectations.

Balancing Honesty and Realistic Promises

Being transparent doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers. In fact, acknowledging what you don’t know can demonstrate courage and authenticity. It’s about showing your team that while you may not have every detail figured out, you’re committed to finding solutions together.

"Transparency requires courage, and at times a leader can lack the courage needed to be transparent with those he or she is leading." - Heather Kenny

When challenges arise, address them openly and involve your team in finding solutions. Vulnerability like this can strengthen trust and reinforce your authenticity. Focus on explaining your decision-making process rather than guaranteeing specific outcomes. For instance, instead of saying, "This change will definitely increase efficiency by March", you might say, "We’re introducing this change because our analysis shows it could solve our bottlenecks. We’ll monitor progress and adjust as needed."

Timing and context also matter. While transparency is key, sharing incomplete or sensitive information too soon can lead to confusion. If certain details can’t be revealed, explain why. Offering context - even when withholding information - demonstrates respect and keeps misunderstandings at bay.

This blend of honesty and thoughtful communication sets the stage for consistent updates.

Establishing Regular Communication Routines

In times of uncertainty, consistency in communication offers much-needed stability. Regular updates help prevent misinformation and reinforce trust.

Set up reliable communication channels like weekly team updates, monthly town halls, or quarterly all-hands meetings. The exact frequency is less important than ensuring your team knows when to expect updates. Use these touchpoints to share progress, outline next steps, and provide clarity.

Encourage two-way communication. While town halls are great for broad updates, smaller forums can create a more comfortable space for questions and concerns. Anonymous feedback channels can also be valuable, especially during sensitive periods, as they allow team members to voice issues they might hesitate to raise publicly.

Keep your updates conversational by inviting input and addressing concerns promptly. This transforms one-way updates into collaborative discussions, fostering a sense of shared purpose.

To ensure your communication is effective, introduce feedback mechanisms like pulse surveys or informal check-ins. These tools help you gauge whether your message is landing and identify areas that need adjustment. Communication during change is rarely perfect and often requires ongoing tweaks as situations evolve.

While it’s impossible to eliminate uncertainty entirely, you can create predictable moments of connection. These regular updates and opportunities for dialogue help your team feel informed and heard, building trust over time. By staying consistent, you show your commitment to keeping everyone aligned and supported as the journey unfolds.

Creating a Story to Inspire and Guide

Storytelling, when paired with open and honest communication, offers a powerful way to help your team navigate uncertainty. It provides an emotional anchor, fostering unity and a shared sense of purpose during challenging times.

Why Storytelling Matters During Change

Stories have a unique ability to connect on both an emotional and intellectual level. They don’t just explain what’s happening but also highlight why it matters. In times of change, when anxiety and doubt can take hold, stories bring a human touch, making complex situations easier to process.

The real strength of storytelling lies in its dual impact - it engages the heart and the mind. When you share a story about your organisation’s direction, you’re doing more than presenting facts. You’re inviting your team to see themselves as part of a shared future. This emotional connection builds resilience, helping people face uncertainty with a sense of purpose. A well-crafted story often follows a framework of challenge, choice, and outcome, making it easier for teams to navigate the unknown.

Stories also act as a bridge between the present and the future. They show that uncertainty isn’t a failure in planning but a natural part of progress. By framing change as an unfolding narrative, you acknowledge the unknown while reinforcing that the journey is meaningful and the destination worthwhile.

Building a North Star Story

A North Star story serves as a guiding light during times of flux. It provides clarity and direction, helping your team stay focused even when everything around them feels uncertain.

"The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come." – Steve Jobs

An effective North Star story should inspire your organisation while remaining grounded in reality. Start by identifying a clear and concise core message. What is the driving purpose that unites your team through this period of change? Which values remain constant, even as processes shift?

The focus should be on why the change is happening rather than the specifics of how. Instead of getting bogged down in operational details, tell a story about how these changes will benefit customers or create more meaningful work for the team. Use vivid imagery to help people imagine the future, even if the exact path to get there isn’t fully mapped out.

This story should balance the journey with the destination. While the road may be winding, emphasise that the direction is intentional. This helps teams stay focused on the overarching goal while remaining adaptable in how they achieve it.

Emotion is key - your North Star story should align with your team’s values and aspirations. The most impactful narratives connect personal motivations with organisational goals, showing how individual contributions support the larger mission.

Getting Your Team Involved in the Story

The best stories aren’t just told by leaders - they’re co-created with the people living them every day. By involving your team in shaping the narrative, you turn passive listeners into active participants who feel a genuine stake in the journey.

"The power of stories is that they engage not only the mind but also the heart, creating an emotional connection that fosters trust and loyalty." – Andréa Albright, CEO of Beverly Hills Publishing™

Start by encouraging employees to share their own experiences - whether it’s a positive customer interaction, a successful project, or a moment of growth. These personal accounts become the foundation of a larger organisational story. When team members see their contributions reflected in the bigger picture, they feel valued and connected to the change.

Create spaces for peer-to-peer storytelling. Different teams and departments may experience change in diverse ways, and sharing these perspectives can enrich the overall narrative. This collaborative storytelling approach ensures the story feels authentic and inclusive.

Encourage your team to think about their role in the North Star vision. This could involve small group discussions, anonymous feedback, or informal chats during meetings. By helping individuals articulate their place in the story, you make the vision feel personal and tangible.

When employees help shape the narrative, they become its champions. They’re more likely to embrace uncertainty because they’ve contributed to defining how the team will navigate it. This shared ownership grounds the story in reality, preventing it from becoming an idealised vision disconnected from everyday work.

Regular feedback sessions are essential to keep your story relevant and compelling. Ask your team what resonates most, where clarity is needed, and how their perception of the journey is evolving. This ongoing dialogue allows you to refine the narrative, ensuring it continues to inspire and guide as circumstances change.

Practical Tools for Communicating During Change

Navigating change effectively requires more than just good intentions. To truly connect with your team, you need the right tools and channels to deliver messages in ways that resonate. Different situations call for different approaches, and no single method can cover every scenario.

Using Multiple Communication Channels for Different Audiences

People process information in diverse ways. Some prefer detailed written updates they can review at their own pace, while others find face-to-face conversations more effective for understanding complicated or sensitive topics. For example, face-to-face briefings work well for delicate or complex discussions, whereas social networks can facilitate quick, informal exchanges among colleagues.

For private matters like performance feedback or salary discussions, one-on-one meetings are ideal. These allow for direct dialogue and immediate clarification. On the other hand, digital tools such as video or voice calls are great for sharing updates that may need to be revisited later, particularly when introducing new processes or procedures.

Text messaging is best reserved for quick, informal updates or urgent notifications. It’s not the right tool for detailed or sensitive information but works well for brief confirmations or time-sensitive alerts.

The most effective communication strategies blend multiple channels. For instance, you might announce significant changes in person, follow up with a detailed email for reference, and host team meetings to address questions and provide clarity. This layered approach ensures that everyone receives the message in a format that suits them.

Timing is equally important. A well-coordinated multi-channel strategy can prevent confusion and misinformation by filling potential communication gaps before they arise.

Once your channels are in place, the next step is to measure their effectiveness through employee feedback.

Using Feedback to Improve Your Communication

A strong communication strategy doesn’t end with delivering the message - it evolves through feedback. The best leaders actively seek input to refine their approach.

Different individuals are comfortable sharing feedback in different ways. Some may speak up during team meetings, while others prefer the anonymity of surveys. Many feel most comfortable sharing their thoughts in private conversations. Offering multiple options for feedback ensures you capture a wide range of perspectives.

Regular check-ins are a practical way to spot communication issues early. For example, after a departmental restructure, you could use pulse surveys to gauge morale and engagement. Adjust your messaging based on the responses.

The statistics are telling: nearly half of employees and 40% of executives don’t believe their feedback leads to meaningful change. Even more striking, 33% of employees say they would consider leaving their job if they felt their feedback was ignored. This highlights the importance of not just collecting feedback but acting on it visibly.

When employees voice concerns, respond promptly. If someone points out unclear messaging, clarify it in your next update. If teams request more frequent updates, adjust your communication schedule. These actions demonstrate that you’re listening and value their input.

Establishing regular feedback mechanisms is key. Encourage managers to hold informal check-ins with their teams to discuss communication effectiveness and address any questions. These conversations often reveal insights that might not emerge through formal surveys.

"Employees want to know their concerns and worries have been taken into account and there are strategies in place to navigate the change in a way that considers their needs." - Michelle Haggerty, Chief Operating Officer, Prosci

Comparison of Communication Channels

Selecting the right channel depends on the sensitivity of your message and the needs of your audience. Each method has its strengths and limitations, so it’s important to choose wisely.

Matching your channel to the message is essential. For instance, a redundancy announcement might require a face-to-face meeting to convey empathy, while a policy update could be effectively shared via email with follow-up discussions in team meetings.

Using multiple channels can also strengthen your message. For major announcements, consider layering your approach: deliver the news in person, provide written details for reference, and use team meetings for ongoing support and clarification.

Two-way communication is particularly important during uncertain times. Channels that invite questions and dialogue help reassure employees that their voices matter. This is especially critical when people are seeking clarity and reassurance.

As the saying goes, preparation is key. Developing an internal communication plan in advance can save valuable time and reduce stress during periods of change. Identify which channels work best for different types of messages and audiences, so you’re ready to respond effectively when the need arises.

Maintaining Progress and Adjusting Through Change

Navigating change requires constant fine-tuning of your communication efforts. Building on a foundation of openness and honesty, it’s essential to adapt your approach as situations shift and new information comes to light. By doing so, you can keep your team aligned and engaged, even during uncertain times.

Checking Team Mood and Making Adjustments

Keeping a pulse on your team's morale is vital during periods of change. Tools like pulse surveys, anonymous suggestion boxes, and focus groups can help you identify early warning signs, such as shifts in attitude, increased gossip, reduced initiative, or declining performance. Research from McKinsey & Company highlights that nearly 70% of change initiatives fail to meet their goals, often because leaders lose touch with their teams' emotional state during transitions.

"Empathy is what turns a good change initiative into a great one. It's about recognising that behind every process or system, there are people - and they're the ones who ultimately determine success." – Srima McQuillan, Seasoned Transformation and Change Executive

Different phases of change call for tailored communication. At the start, when shock or denial is common, frequent updates and access to support are crucial. As frustration or anger surfaces, maintain open dialogue and address concerns head-on. When acceptance begins to take root, focus on training, development opportunities, and allowing time for adjustments. Keeping an eye on performance metrics, such as productivity levels or quality standards, can also signal whether your communication is hitting the mark. If these metrics dip, it might indicate that your messages lack clarity or reassurance.

Showing Flexibility and Resilience as a Leader

Resilient leaders not only adapt more quickly to challenges - up to 40% faster - but they also lead teams with significantly better retention rates, improving by 30%. The secret lies in balancing a consistent sense of purpose with the ability to adjust your approach as needed.

Start by recognising when your initial communication strategy isn’t resonating. If feedback suggests confusion or disengagement, experiment with different channels, simplify your language, or provide more context. Surveys reveal that only 23% of employees feel their organisations excel in both resilience and adaptability, showing there’s room for improvement.

Being transparent about your learning process can strengthen your credibility. Share new insights as they emerge and explain how they influence decisions. Encourage team members to use their strengths during times of change, which not only builds resilience but also fosters a sense of value and belonging. Psychological safety - where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas, raising concerns, and admitting mistakes - is another cornerstone of resilience. Teams with leaders who prioritise these elements often outperform others by 15–25%.

Regular Reviews of Your Communication Approach

Adapting to change also means regularly evaluating how well your messages are landing. Review your communication strategies frequently to ensure they’re effective. Pay attention to employee sentiment, engagement with communication channels, and overall understanding of the change to identify areas that need adjustment. This evidence-based approach ensures you’re refining your strategy based on facts, not assumptions.

Hold regular review sessions with your leadership team and gather input from managers who work closely with frontline employees. These managers often have the clearest sense of how messages are being received. Actively monitor feedback channels and ask employees directly about their thoughts and concerns. Be ready to adjust plans and materials to meet the evolving needs of your team and stakeholders. Use focus groups, surveys, or cross-functional meetings to gather insights from those on the ground. After key milestones or project launches, seek feedback from leaders, change agents, and advisors to pinpoint what’s working and what needs improvement.

Tailor your review process for different organisational levels. Senior leaders may need a strategic overview of communication effectiveness, while middle managers benefit from tactical insights into implementation challenges. Frontline employees can provide direct feedback on whether messages are clear and relevant. Don’t just focus on identifying problems - take time to celebrate successes too. When a particular message or channel proves effective, document why it worked so you can replicate that success in future initiatives. Regular reviews, combined with transparency and feedback mechanisms, help maintain alignment with organisational goals.

Conclusion: Leading with Integrity During Uncertainty

In times of uncertainty, effective leadership doesn’t require having all the answers - it requires honesty, clarity, and adaptability. By embracing transparency, crafting narratives that offer direction, and remaining flexible, leaders can foster trust and guide their teams through even the most unpredictable circumstances.

Uncertainty doesn’t diminish the role of a leader; it underscores the need for clear and honest communication. Being upfront about what you know - and what you don’t - creates a foundation of trust. Pairing this with storytelling helps to provide purpose and direction, while flexibility ensures you’re prepared to adjust as situations evolve. These are not just tools for communication; they are fundamental principles of leadership.

Albert Einstein’s insight, "The measure of intelligence is the ability to change", resonates deeply here. Leaders who adapt their communication styles, respond to their team’s needs, and adjust to shifting conditions demonstrate the resilience and creativity needed in today’s complex environment. This adaptability not only builds trust but also encourages innovation and strengthens team morale.

Research supports this: organisations with leaders who prioritise open dialogue and flexibility during periods of change achieve better outcomes. When you stay self-aware, welcome honest feedback, and treat challenges as opportunities to learn, you’re not just managing uncertainty - you’re leading with integrity.

FAQs

How can leaders keep their teams motivated during times of uncertainty when outcomes are unclear?

Leaders play a crucial role in keeping teams motivated during uncertain times, and it starts with clear and honest communication. Be upfront about the uncertainties, share the facts you do have, and outline the immediate steps being taken. This approach helps build trust and reassures your team that, even if all the answers aren’t available, there’s a plan in motion.

Equally important is showing empathy and understanding. Take the time to check in with your team members regularly - whether it’s to offer support, listen to their concerns, or simply ask how they’re doing. Prioritising their well-being sends a strong message that they’re valued. Beyond this, encouraging collaboration, celebrating small victories, and supporting a healthy work-life balance can help create a sense of stability and resilience within the group.

By being transparent, supportive, and focused on realistic goals, leaders can steer their teams through challenging times with both confidence and compassion.

How can leaders involve their teams in the storytelling process to make them feel engaged during times of change?

To bring your team into the storytelling process and make them feel genuinely involved in the journey of change, prioritise open communication and active listening. Give your team the space to share their thoughts, concerns, and perspectives, ensuring they know their input matters.

Another way to engage them is by inviting employees to help create and share stories about the change. This approach not only gives them a sense of ownership but also builds trust and a spirit of collaboration. By involving your team in this way, you encourage transparency, deepen emotional connections, and create a shared understanding - helping everyone face uncertainty together.

How can leaders be transparent during uncertainty without sharing incomplete or sensitive information?

Leaders navigating uncertain times can uphold transparency by carefully balancing openness with discretion. Begin by identifying the key information stakeholders need to grasp the situation, while recognising that some details may need to stay confidential due to legal, ethical, or strategic considerations.

Admit when there are gaps in your knowledge, and take the time to explain why certain details can't be disclosed yet. This honesty fosters trust while safeguarding sensitive matters. Make it a priority to communicate the overall direction being pursued, even if all specifics are still in flux. Reassure stakeholders that updates will be provided promptly as new information becomes available.

Related posts

• 6 Ways to Use Stories in Change Management
• How to Lead Through Change with Clarity
• How to Build Trust in Decision-Making
• The Four Types of Change and Why They Need Different Communication Approaches