“In this world, nothing can be certain but death and taxes,” a quote attributed to a letter written by Benjamin Franklin in 1789, certainly applies to the steel business.

1. ConfrontingtheHarsh
RealityofUncertainty
Aviva Leebow Wolmer

2. The human brain is hardwired
to react to uncertainty with
fear.
That may be well-and-good
when venturing into the wilds
of the Amazon, but it doesn’t
work in a business setting.
So what does work?

3. First, know
what you
know.
In order to confront uncertainties
head-on, it’s important to correctly
identify them.
Putting a “what if” plan into place is
possible.
Even big changes can be handled, if
you have a plan.

4. Secondly,
remember:ifyou
cancreatea“plan
A”youcanalso
createa“planB.”
Plan A should focus on the
most likely scenario, and
create a decisive path
towards success based on
facts you have at hand.
Plan B, however, should
focus on the improbable,
less likely sequence of
events and predict the
“what ifs” associated with
that scenario.
This need to plan for the
most unlikely situation is a
lesson all senior managers
need to learn.

5. Which brings up the third way to deal with
uncertainty: stay positive.
Knowing the “uncertainties” -and naming them- lets you
refocus on what you can do, and do well, despite any
outlying unknowns.

6. Thankyou.
AVIVALEEBOWWOLMER.COM