Do you have a sense of your own level of tolerance for ambiguity? This article Tolerance of Ambiguity: A critical future fit skill for the evolved world of work – HR Future sets out the benefits of being able to tolerate ambiguity, the attributes of someone who can, and how we can get better at it.
The article quotes “Embracing ambiguity allows people and organisations to seize opportunities, take calculated risks to tackle previously unchartered territories and back themselves when they do not have all the answers”.
If you hate change and ambiguity, then the top tips to get better at navigating it are:
- Mindfulness: Being able to regulate and have control over your emotions.
- Assertiveness: Strive to present your opinion and have a say.
- Focus on What Matters: Unimportant details can be overwhelming in an ambiguous situation.
- Practice Agility: Do not get caught up in small details, accept that perfection is not possible.
- Be Curious: Ask questions that lead to identifying possible solutions. Create powerful networks to get a wide range of ideas and be available to connect the ideas of different individuals.
- Act Courageously: Speak the truth even when unpopular and speak your mind freely even if there might be negative consequences.
- Let go and move on: Don’t dwell on errors but learn from them.
- Think Differently: Challenge yourself to think more outside of the box.
So take time to think:
- Are you clear on what really matters i.e. what are the big things you are trying to achieve? Or do you get caught up in small details?
- As you think about the week you have just had – how curious were you? How much time did you invest in building collaborative relationships rather than head down in the detail?
- When faced with ambiguity is your instinct to grasp for certainty? What conditions would help you to ‘ride the wave, not fight it’? Do you know if that is the same for your colleagues or team members?
- As you look to next week, how are you going to create the conditions to enable you and your team to step back?
As leaders, we can show our people that we are role modelling the changes that all of us want to see. Let’s be better and be the change – contact [email protected] if you would like help to do so.
For more articles, encouraging you to think and be the change – visit Blog Archives – JH Coaching and Advisory.