Managing Fear and Uncertainty in Yourself and Your Team During a Recession

By Jenny Holly Hansen | WBN News | May 1, 2025

Every time a recession hits, it feels like the ground shifts a little under all of us. Markets contract. Customers pull back. Headlines fuel anxiety. And if you’re leading a team — or even just managing yourself — the pressure to stay steady can feel enormous.

Over time, I’ve learned that fear and uncertainty are natural reactions in tough times. The real test isn’t whether those feelings appear — they always do — but how we manage them. Both in ourselves, and in the people who are counting on us.

Start With Yourself: Leading From the Inside Out

Before I can lead anyone else through uncertainty, I have to lead myself. Here’s what I focus on:

1. Acknowledge the Fear (Don’t Dismiss It)
I used to think strong leaders had to hide their fear, but I’ve learned that acknowledging it — without being consumed by it — actually makes me stronger. Fear signals that change is happening. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away; recognizing it allows me to channel it productively.

2. Anchor in Purpose
When everything feels unstable, I always come back to why I'm doing what I’m doing. Recession or not, purpose doesn’t change. Reminding myself of that bigger mission helps cut through the noise of daily panic.

3. Focus on Controllables
In uncertain times, it’s easy to spiral about things outside our control. I find that focusing on what I can influence — decisions, actions, communication — builds real momentum and calms my mind.

Managing Fear and Uncertainty in Your Team

Once I have my own emotions centered, it’s time to turn outward. Managing fear in a team isn’t about pretending things are perfect. It’s about creating an environment where people feel grounded even when the world feels shaky.

1. Communicate Early and Often
Silence breeds fear. If people don’t hear from leadership, they’ll fill the gaps with their own worst-case scenarios. I make it a point to be transparent, even if the news isn’t all good. Clear communication builds trust.

2. Normalize Emotions
When fear shows up on the team, I don’t brush it aside. I make space for it. Letting people know it’s okay to feel worried — and that we’re all navigating it together — reduces the stigma and strengthens the team bond.

3. Keep People Focused on Action
Fear tends to freeze people. The antidote is giving them something productive to do. Clear goals, next steps, and projects create forward motion, and forward motion naturally reduces fear.

4. Celebrate Small Wins
Especially in hard times, I find it’s crucial to celebrate progress, no matter how small. Every closed deal, every solved problem, every moment of teamwork deserves acknowledgment. It reminds everyone that we’re not just surviving — we’re still achieving.

5. Model Resilience
Teams take their emotional cues from their leaders. If I show up calm, focused, and open-minded, it gives my team permission to do the same. That doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine — it means demonstrating how to face challenges without losing our heads.

Final Thoughts

Managing fear and uncertainty during a recession isn’t about pretending to be fearless. It’s about facing reality with courage, empathy, and strategy — both for yourself and for your team.

The truth is, resilience isn't just about bouncing back after tough times. It’s built day by day, in the way we lead ourselves and others through the uncertainty itself.

In moments when fear creeps in — and it will — I remind myself and my team: We don’t have to have all the answers. We just have to keep moving forward, together.

Let’s Keep Talking:

Jenny is a business insurance broker with Waypoint Insurance.

She is also a business development consultant with Impresario Partners, helping Canadian Business expand overseas.

She can be reached at 604-317-6755 or jholly-hansen@wbnn.news. Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-holly-hansen-365b691b/.  Connect with Jenny at BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/jennyhollyhansen.bsky.social

Let’s Meet Up:

Jenny Holly Hansen is a cohost with Chris Sturges of the Langley Impact Networking Group. You are welcome to join us on Thursday’s from 4pm to 6pm at: Sidebar Bar and Grill: 100b - 20018 83A Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3R4

TAGS:  #Jenny Holly Hansen #Recession-Proof #Acknowledge the Fear #Anchor the Purpose #Focus on Controllables #Focus on Action