Josh Coleman On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Uncertain & Turbulent Times
I learned that people can handle uncertainty better than they can handle feeling misled. Trust doesn’t come from certainty, it comes from transparency.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Coleman. Josh Coleman is the Director of Public Affairs for the City of Birmingham, where he, civic engagement, cultural affairs, and intergovernmental relations for Alabama’s largest city. He also serves as the Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Liaison and has spent more than a decade working at the intersection of government, community organizing, and public trust. Coleman is the president of Central Alabama Pride and the founder of multiple civic initiatives focused on leadership development, equity, and public participation. A lifelong Alabamian, his work is rooted in building transparent, people-centered systems that meet residents where they are.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I grew up in Cullman, Alabama, and my career didn’t start in government. I came out when I was sixteen and left my dad’s home, so from an early age I learned how important stability really is and how quickly it can disappear. Before working for the City of Birmingham, I spent years in other leadership roles. I was a Director of Operations for a large food franchise, managing teams, solving problems on the fly, and learning how to lead when things didn’t go as planned. At the same time, I was heavily involved in political campaigns and party organizing. That meant long days, little sleep, and learning how to talk to people who didn’t always agree with you. I didn’t move into public service because it felt like a natural next step. It happened because I kept showing up volunteering, working campaigns, helping where I could and eventually opportunities opened up because Mayor Randall Woodfin asked me to join his administration. Working inside government gave me a different perspective on how decisions are made and how hard it can be to earn public trust. All of those experiences — operations, campaigns, and now public affairs — show up in how I lead today. I’m practical, people-focused, and very aware that real lives sit on the other side of every decision.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Early on, I really thought professionalism meant sounding official. Like capital-L Leadership voice. So I sent out a public message that was fine on paper, but it didn’t sound like me at all. It was stiff. Very formal. Honestly, kind of weird. Someone asked me if someone else had written it. Another person said, “This doesn’t sound like you.” That was the moment it clicked that I was trying too hard to sound like what I thought a leader was supposed to sound like. Nothing was wrong with the message. The problem was that it created distance. It didn’t meet people where they were, and it didn’t feel real. That mistake stuck with me. Now I slow down before I send things. I write how I actually talk. I don’t try to impress people with language. You can be clear, respectful, and professional without pretending to be someone else. Being yourself doesn’t make you less credible, it usually does the opposite.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
There’s no question for me that the person I’m most grateful to is Mayor Randall Woodfin. What’s interesting is that I don’t think he realizes how much he’s shaped my path.
Back in 2016, we were working on a project together, long before he was mayor. What stood out to me even then was how intentional he was about inclusion. He kept me looped into decisions, copied me on emails I probably didn’t “need” to be on, and made sure I was in the room or at least aware of what was happening. He also introduced me to people and spaces that were much bigger than anything I had experienced at that point, including national leaders and broader conversations about cities and leadership.
That early exposure changed how I saw what was possible.
Fast forward a few years, I helped on his mayoral campaign, and after he was elected, he appointed me as the City of Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ Liaison — the first role of its kind in the state of Alabama. That appointment wasn’t just symbolic. It came with real responsibility, trust, and room to grow. Over time, that role expanded, and so did my confidence and leadership.
What I appreciate most is that he didn’t just open doors, he trusted me to walk through them. That kind of belief stays with you.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose-driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your organization started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
When I started working in city government, the vision wasn’t some big, glossy statement. It was much simpler than that. The goal was to make sure people actually felt the City showing up for them, especially communities that didn’t always trust government or feel included in it.
In Birmingham, the purpose has always been connection. Helping residents understand what’s happening, why decisions are being made, and how they can be part of the process. A lot of frustration comes from people feeling like things are happening to them instead of with them.
Early on, the focus was building trust where it had been broken or never really existed. That meant listening more than talking, being honest when we didn’t have all the answers, and showing consistency over time. No flashy rollout. Just doing the work.
That purpose hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s gotten clearer. The work only matters if it helps people feel seen, informed, and respected. When that’s the foundation, everything else — communication, engagement, outcomes — works better.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
I’ve definitely had moments where I wondered if it was worth it. Local government can be frustrating, slow, and thankless, especially when you care deeply and still can’t fix everything as fast as people need it fixed. There are days when the problems feel bigger than the tools you have.
What keeps me going isn’t some big, dramatic motivation. It’s smaller than that. It’s the person who stops me after a meeting and says, “Thank you for explaining that — I finally get it.” It’s someone telling me they didn’t feel ignored for once. Those moments remind me that local government really can make a difference in people’s lives when it shows up the right way. I didn’t come into this work to be perfect or to have all the answers. I came into it to help people navigate systems that can feel overwhelming. When I see that happen, that’s enough to keep me going. You don’t need a grand purpose every day. Sometimes you just need a reason to show up tomorrow and do the work a little better than you did yesterday.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
Honestly? The most important thing a leader can do in hard times is show up and tell the truth.
People don’t need speeches. They don’t need spin. They need to know what’s going on, what you know, what you don’t know, and what comes next as best as you can tell. Even when the answer is, I don’t have this figured out yet. I’ve learned that folks can handle bad news. What they can’t handle is feeling talked around or treated like they can’t handle the truth. When things are uncertain, the leader’s job is to steady the room. Be calm. Be clear. Be human. That doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means saying, this is tough, but we’re still here, and we’re going to keep moving forward together.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
When things feel uncertain, people don’t need big speeches. They need to feel steady ground under their feet. Morale doesn’t come from pretending everything is fine. It comes from knowing someone is paying attention and telling the truth. I’ve learned that the best thing a leader can do is show up consistently and speak plainly. Let people know what you know, admit what you don’t, and don’t talk down to them. Folks can handle hard news. What they can’t handle is feeling kept in the dark or talked around. Boosting morale is often about the small things. Say thank you. Mean it. Notice the work that’s getting done, especially when it feels thankless.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
I’ve learned that the worst thing you can do when delivering difficult news is wait too long or try to soften it so much that people don’t actually understand what’s happening. People can handle hard news. What they struggle with is uncertainty and silence. The best approach is to be honest, clear, and direct, without being cold. Say what you know, say what you don’t know, and don’t pretend to have answers you don’t actually have. I’ve found that trust is built when you acknowledge reality instead of trying to manage reactions.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
I don’t think leaders can plan for every outcome, especially right now. What you can do is plan for direction instead of certainty. I’ve learned that it’s less about predicting the future and more about knowing your values, your priorities, and what you’re not willing to compromise. In my work, we plan in shorter windows. We set clear goals, build flexibility into timelines, and accept that things will change. That doesn’t mean we aren’t prepared, it means we’re realistic. When conditions shift, you adjust instead of panicking.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
If I had to boil it down to one principle, it would be this: don’t lose your people when things get hard.
In turbulent times, it’s easy for leaders to retreat into spreadsheets, strategy decks, or crisis mode. Decisions get made quickly, communication tightens up, and people start to feel like things are happening to them instead of with them. That’s when trust erodes.
I’ve learned that even when you don’t have all the answers, staying visible and honest matters. Say what you know. Say what you don’t know. Keep showing up. People can handle uncertainty much better than they can handle silence.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
One of the most common mistakes I see during difficult times is leaders going silent. Things get tense, uncertainty creeps in, and instead of communicating more, people pull back. That silence usually creates more anxiety than the actual problem. Even when you don’t have all the answers, saying something matters.
Another mistake is overcorrecting. I’ve watched organizations panic and make big, sweeping changes too fast — cutting programs, shifting priorities, or changing messaging overnight — without bringing their teams or communities along. In turbulent moments, consistency and steadiness usually matter more than dramatic moves.
I also see leaders forget the people part of the work. When pressure is high, it’s easy to focus only on numbers, timelines, or optics. But when people feel ignored or treated like an afterthought, trust erodes quickly. You can’t lead through crisis without acknowledging how it’s affecting the humans doing the work.
Some leaders try to project confidence by pretending everything is fine. That almost never works. People can tell when something’s off. What they’re really looking for is honesty, direction, and reassurance that someone is paying attention.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
1. Be honest, even when you don’t have all the answers.
I learned that people can handle uncertainty better than they can handle feeling misled. Trust doesn’t come from certainty, it comes from transparency.
2. Communicate more than you think you need to.
In government, silence gets filled quickly, usually with misinformation. I’ve seen situations calm down simply because we communicated early and consistently, even if the update was small.
3. Stay grounded in values, not reactions.
There have been moments when public pressure or online noise pushed for quick reactions. What steadied me was asking, “Does this align with our values?” When you lead from values instead of fear, your decisions hold up better over time.
4. Take care of your people first.
In turbulent moments, teams feel it before leaders do. I’ve learned to check in, slow things down when needed, and acknowledge stress instead of pretending it’s not there. People do their best work when they feel supported, not rushed.
5. Keep perspective — everything is not a crisis forever.
One of the hardest lessons was learning not to carry every moment as permanent. Some situations feel overwhelming in the moment but settle with time and steady leadership. Your job is to stay calm enough to guide others through it.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of my favorite quotes is from Hillary Clinton- “Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” That quote has been relevant to my life because it reminds me that setbacks are part of the journey, not the end of it. I’ve faced moments where the work felt hard, the path wasn’t clear, and others doubted what was possible. Aiming high, working hard, and caring deeply about what I believe in has helped me push through those moments.
How can our readers further follow your work?
Readers can follow my work and stay connected by visiting my website at https://www.colemanjosh.com, where I share updates and projects. I’m also active on social media and can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/josh.coleman.92, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/therealjoshcoleman, and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-coleman-a082b9175.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Josh Coleman On Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Uncertain & Turbulent… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.