Change and uncertainty are a natural part of high-performing organizations in competitive industries. When those situations arise, the best prepared organizations know their current approach does not fully meet the demands of the current reality. They also know that during such times, Chiefs of Staff must play an instrumental role in ensuring an organization rises to meet the challenges brought with change and uncertainty.
McChrystal Group’s “Leading Through Crisis Framework” grows out of our leaders’ lived experiences fighting and overcoming challenges of uncertainty in both war rooms and boardrooms over the last forty years. What their scars and experience taught them is this: During challenging times, leaders should leverage a cyclical, iterative process to focus their efforts by rapidly moving from Assess to Align to Act.
Chiefs of Staff play an important role in every step of this process. To prepare you for that role, this Playbook provides you with practical guidance on how to effectively support your Principal through uncertainty. Not everything will apply to your specific situation, but our hope is that you will find useful insights and suggestions that will equip you to lead your organization through the challenges ahead.
