The Power of Being Unpredictable

So with all the good that predictability as a leader can bring (see my post on The Power of Predictability), how can being unpredictable as a leader help you and your team?

When we landed in DC for the workshop, we realized a box of needed supplies hadn’t been delivered to the location. With hours of setup ahead and no time to wait, my friend and coworker, Joe got busy hunting down the supplies.

Unfortunately, not all the supplies were available after multiple trips to various stores.

One of the many things I love about Joe (and I love many things) is his “can do” attitude. He figured out substitutions. He changed processes on the fly. And come morning, we were ready as always.

One of the things that came out of dealing with the missing box, was an entire rethink of how everything was stored, shipped, and what we traveled with. Over the course of the next 18 months of travel, the new process never failed.

The situation was unpredictable and Joe applied creativity, saw a new opportunity, and created change that minimized future stress.

Here are some of the benefits of being a little unpredictable:

➡️ Keep the team engaged and motivated - introducing new challenges and challenging or changing the approach to old problems will open new opportunities to stretch and utilize strengths that may have been previously overlooked.

➡️ Promote creativity - inspire creativity and experimentation in yourself and the team by not sticking to the usual ways of doing things.

➡️ See new opportunities - the results of experimentation and seeing old problems in new ways can open up unexpected opportunities for you, the team, and the organization.

From a timing perspective though, for leaders, it’s often best to be unpredictable when things are going well, and you have the time, energy, and freedom to innovate and try new things.

Note that being unpredictable doesn't mean being erratic. It's good to be consistent with your values and principles while being open to new opportunities and adaptable when circumstances change.

Check out Adam Grant’s podcast on The Creative Power of Misfits to hear more about the benefits of being unpredictable.

When did being unpredictable help you?