“If you think as a leader you can and should have all the answers,” said IDEO CEO, Tim Brown, “Then you’re both wrong and significantly constraining the capacity of the organization to be creative.”

I’d go further than that. In today’s world, external events are making it nearly impossible for any individual to either be able to predict or fully respond to events as they unfold.

This is a time that demands not only strength and character, but also humility and transparency. Rather than making rigid and definitive statements—”we’ll be back in the office October 15”—it is probably better to share your criteria for making different decisions as time passes. To do otherwise exposes you to a potential loss of credibility as events force you to shift direction time and time again.

Success in this environment is largely dependent on the quality of the dialogue that your team has and the degree to which you can include different points of view. It’s about going outside for insight and ideas, rather than assuming you can solve everything with the people who have always been around your table.

Where are you getting other perspectives? How are you gaining insights from other industries? Are you seeking out contrarian views? These are important inputs to build a fuller picture of what’s likely to happen in the future.

To cite a specific example, how are you accounting for a wide range of inflation scenarios as you think about not just this quarter, but the next eight? That range is probably wider today than it has been in decades.

What is the geopolitical environment within which you expect to be doing business over the next one to three years? How will it impact your customers and your supply chain? Are you talking to your customers and asking them how they see next year? Are you asking them, “How can we best support you? What do you need from us? What do you need that we’re not even providing today?”

The range of truly disruptive events that could happen in the next 24 months are truly eye-opening. To navigate the path ahead demands that leaders focus on asking more and better questions, then going wherever necessary to gain insight and perspective to inform decision making and build flexible plans.

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