Stephanie didn’t know that being a fortune teller was in her job description, yet that’s what it seemed Joanne was asking her to become. In the last department meeting, Joanne had challenged each team lead to prioritize the department’s remaining projects. They would then come together and discuss everyone’s prioritized list to jump start next year’s planning. Stephanie didn’t know where to begin, because in order to prioritize projects, she would need to know how large next year’s budget was likely to be, whether there would be any further reorganization, whether the rumored installation downsizing was really going to happen, and what Congress was likely to do (which would determine if there was even going to be budget!). When she looked in her crystal ball, all Stephanie saw was fog!
Since ambiguity seems to be a constant in Stephanie’s operating environment, she would be well-advised to:
a. Document where she is making assumptions in her planning and prioritizing.
b. Begin looking for another position.
c. Focus on what she knows and can control: her team’s mission and tasks.
d. Ask Joanne to begin addressing rumors and provide more clarity in the department meeting.