The world is increasingly an uncertain place. As technological and societal shifts clash, we're seeing more outrage against staid institutions...and each other. 

How can a leader navigate this angry world? 

Professor Karthik Ramanna joined Rotman Visiting Experts host Brett Hendrie to talk about these issues and his new book, The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World. In the episode he offers a hint at the framework he provides in the book. 

Give the full episode a listen - and be sure the check out the book for a fuller look at his outrage management framework - but a couple key takeaways from the chat include: 

1. We're living in a very stressful time. Technological changes, like the advent of AI; societal shifts, such as an aging demographic; and a loss in trust in public institutions makes us all a bit more...well, angry. The first thing leaders need to accept is that it's not one issue that's creating the conditions for the "age" of outrage; it's many. And if we can accept that we're living through a more polarizing time in society, we can start to address these issues more head on.
2. Perhaps it's time those stereotypical "a-type" leaders, replete with courage, justice and wisdome, take a back seat to an oft-neglected virtue: temperance. Moderation might be key as we navigate these trying times, and Ramanna reminds listeners that some of the most influential and impactful leaders of our time have been temperate ones. Let your people - your team, your stakeholders, your customers - come to you with the right solutions; listen and trust that the processes you've put in place will help the right course of action bubble from the bottom up. 
3. Leaders have limitations. You will always a) be seen as part of the problem by at lease some of your stakeholders, and b) you can't solve every issue that comes across your desk. According to Ramanna, if you are clear about what issues you can own - that is identify, and offer up solutions for - then you can better manage the challenge that you can't fix everything. It's really about being authentic to your organizations values. Don't promise to solve climate change if you're an oil company; and if you can't stand behind your diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the face of pushback, perhaps don't trumpet them to begin with.

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Prefer to read than listen? Access the full transcript here. 

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