Start Embracing Ambiguity With This Simple Trick
How to overcome uncertainty and lead without fear.
A question I like to ask when I’m interviewing new leaders goes as follows;
“When making decisions, how much certainty do you like to have in order to proceed?”
The idea of this question is to understand where the person lies on the spectrum of gung ho vs paralysed by doubt. I’m trying to find out if the person can take action in the face of ambiguity.
You see, business is a magnificent journey filled with twists, turns, and surprises. As managers, we have to deal with uncertainty all the time. Our people around us crave certainty that we cannot provide and it can be tempting to give them false clarity.
But what if I told you that embracing ambiguity can actually lead to personal growth, resilience, and a more successful career? What if ambiguity is actually the trait we should strive for?
In this blog, I’ll explore the concept of ambiguity, talk about how we can embrace it, and provide you with a simple trick to improve your ability to deal with it.
What is Ambiguity
Ambiguity refers to situations or circumstances where there is a lack of clarity, certainty, or a clear path forward. It often arises when there is incomplete or conflicting information, complex market conditions, or unforeseen challenges.
In language, ambiguity can arise due to the use of words or phrases that have multiple meanings or can be interpreted differently based on context. For example, the sentence “I saw a person on a hill with a telescope” could imply either that the person had a telescope or that the speaker used a telescope to see the person on the hill.
In business, we deal with ambiguity all the time. We have ambiguity around the future, around the priority of work, around how to handle people. Our whole work lives are one big ambiguous jumble sale. Not only do we have to be able to deal with this ourselves, but we have to help our people handle this ambiguity too. It’s a tough gig for anyone who struggles to deal with ambiguity.
How Can We Embrace Ambiguity
Ambiguity can be uncomfortable, but it can also offer opportunities for growth. Embracing ambiguity allows for flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to consider multiple perspectives.
Consider this, can you ever achieve 100% certainty? You can be pretty sure about a bunch of things, but never quite 100%. There’s always that niggling doubt if you search for it.
Instead of viewing ambiguity as a threat, we can see it as an opportunity for growth and exploration. By shifting our mindset, we can open ourselves up to new possibilities and experiences.
The first step to embracing ambiguity is accepting it is always there. We cannot remove it, only face it head-on. Like the elephant in the room, we need only to admit its existence to then try and tackle it.
The next step is to understand ourselves, and how we feel about ambiguity. We cannot change the complex business ambiguity around us, but can change ourselves and how we feel about it. Embracing ambiguity is a challenge of self-awareness and self-improvement, rather than molding the landscape in which we operate.
A Simple Trick
Try this exercise to improve your ability to embrace ambiguity. When you have a decision to make, ask yourself two questions;
- ‘On a scale of 1–10, how certain do I feel about this?’
- ‘On a scale of 1–10, how comfortable do I feel about making this decision?’
The idea is to first understand where your own level of comfort lies when it comes to ambiguity. Some people will need 90% certainty before they are able to commit to a path forward, some people 60%, or some even less. This data-gathering exercise is about improving your understanding of yourself.
The next step is to train yourself to make more decisions that are in the ‘pushing zone’. This zone is where you are mildly uncomfortable with the level of certainty you have, but able to commit anyway. You can do this with decisions big or small, but you need to test yourself. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
‘I feel uncomfortable doing this presentation with the level of preparation I’ve done, but I’m going to do it anyway.
‘I’d like more information before making this decision on the priority of items of work, but I’ll make a decision anyway.’
We can use this with exercise with our people as well. If you’re dealing with someone who is struggling with ambiguity ask them similar questions;
‘How much certainty would like you like to have in this situation?
How much certainty could you live with?
How could you get more comfortable with less certainty?’
Practicing and training to make decisions with less and less information will help you to embrace ambiguity and tackle it head-on. Try it, and see if you can improve your comfort with ambiguity.
In Closing
Embracing ambiguity is a courageous choice that can make us better leaders. We need to let go of our incessant need for immediate answers and help others do the same. Give ourselves permission to make mistakes, learn from them, and adapt. Understand that the path to clarity is often paved with uncertainty.
The magic of success lies in the unknown. By embracing ambiguity, we unlock the endless possibilities that await us on the path to growth.
Step into the realm of the unknown and embrace the beauty of ambiguity!
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