Acting in Ambiguity
Ambiguity exists everywhere in today’s world. We face it when...
… it is not clear how a situation might develop in the future,
… different stakeholders have alternative perspectives about a problem and possible solutions,
… previous experience may not be relevant or applicable,
… there are multiple possible paths forward yet few reliable methods for comparing them,
… it is difficult to identify the long-term impact and consequences of our actions.
The blessing of ambiguity is that it begets innovation because uncertainty requires us to think in novel ways about how to find, frame, and solve problems. Ambiguity can be a burden because it often generates uncomfortable emotional responses and is difficult to navigate alone, not to mention with a team!
Responding to ambiguity
Over the years we’ve observed patterns in the way that people orient to ambiguity. These orientations are often situation-dependent (i.e. how someone responds to ambiguity in one situation may be different than how s/he responds in a different situation), rather than consistent personality traits. Understanding diverse ways of responding to ambiguity has helped us diagnose obstacles to progress and foster better teamwork and more innovative outcomes. Let’s explore these orientations with an example.
Imagine a meeting in a large company…
At the top of the agenda: a new competitor is working on a solution with a completely new technology. Market maturity is imminent. The need for some type of action seems obvious, but the situation is confusing. It is not clear what the next few years may have in store for the customers, the industry, and the market... So many questions are swirling around:
Is the technology truly ready for the market?
Is the competitor’s solution so desirable that it threatens our products?
Is there even demand for this kind of innovation?
Can our company master this new technology?
Which strategy promises future success?
Should we invest in the new technology or should we make our technology even more sophisticated, efficient and economical?
Entire sectors and even economic areas are currently facing this type of ambiguous situation. And it's not just technologies, but also business models and life plans that are up for grabs. Consider some of your own ambiguous situations. How do you react? How do the different members of your team react?
Now, back to that meeting, where various responses are erupting in the room:
Person 1:
“The new technology will definitely not prevail. We have mastered our tried-and-tested technology; the new one is too risky. We should continue to focus on our development plan. After that, we may want to devote ourselves to new options.”
Person 2:
“Let's not rush anything. We should first be clear what this means for us. I suggest that we hire some expert consultants to shed light on various aspects of the technology and develop a recommendation for us.”
Person 3:
“Times are changing and we need to be prepared! We should put a team on it to develop ideas; organize a brainstorming workshop. Then we will have a common understanding of our options and can choose what to do next.”
Person 4:
“Wouldn't it be great if we saw this as an opportunity to rethink our strategy? If we open up to the possibilities, there may be more potential in this than we previously knew. If we see this as an opportunity, we can set up some experiments and learn quickly from them.”
What patterns do you notice within these different reactions?
We see four distinct approaches to dealing with ambiguity.
Approaches in ambiguity
Approach 1: Avoiding Ambiguity
Sometimes we find ourselves avoiding ambiguity because it feels safe to focus on the familiar and business-as-usual.
We might ignore ambiguity, intentionally or unintentionally, for example, by...
denying it
keeping ourselves busy
focusing on technicalities
When our approach is to avoid ambiguity, we prefer “how it’s always been done” and tend to rely on clear rules, hierarchy, established structures.
Approach 2: Allowing Ambiguity
Sometimes the only way we can tolerate ambiguity is to try and control it.
We might be aware of the ambiguity, but focus our attention and energy on reducing it, for example, by...
doing more research
regaining control through actions
minimizing risks
When our approach is to allow ambiguity, we prefer to do “the right thing” with as little risk as possible.
Approach 3: Accepting Ambiguity
Sometimes we understand that the ambiguity of a situation can’t easily be changed so we work within it.
We don’t necessarily feel comfortable making big decisions or acting on our ideas alone, so we embrace the ambiguity, for example, by...
adapting to change
exploring the consequences
aiming for shared understanding
In this approach, our preference is for exploration, discovery, and collaboration.
Approach 4: Seeking Out Ambiguity
Sometimes we actively seek out ambiguity because we recognize that it is the ideal context in which to create new worlds.
We enjoy experiencing ambiguity as a way to learn and create new opportunities, for example, by...
embracing risks
shifting boundaries
mastering complexity
With this approach, we are able to create impactful change and move things forward in a pragmatic way.
In this mode, we act as an #AmbiguityActivist.
How to leverage ambiguity
Ambiguity describes the area of tension in which problems are delicate, solutions are blurred and developments and information are contradictory. Not everyone feels comfortable in this area of tension. And not everyone has to.
However, innovation is only possible in ambiguity. Nobody creates something new without courage and risk.
We believe that ambiguity is the uncertainty of possibilities. Leading in ambiguity is an essential part of individual and organizational competencies because this uncertainty creates space to maneuver and design. We’ve spent decades helping teams navigate ambiguity and have used this experience to develop CoCreACT®. It’s a comprehensive approach that includes a toolset, skillset, and mindset that can be easily learned and applied to nearly any fuzzy challenge.
Acting in Ambiguity is part 1 of our Leading in Ambiguity training series. Participants called it an “eye—opener regarding content and roles of how people handle ambiguity”, because understanding ambiguity and our different responses to is the first step to learn to embrace it.