Thinking and working in uncertainty

It’s mindless to just wander, lost, meandering along a path of uncertainty. Just because you don’t know what’s going to happen doesn’t mean you are powerless.

Some of the most adaptable leaders, teams and organisations work with uncertainty and are ‘good’ with it.

The work I do with these leaders and teams involves working through this kind of mindset and approach: ◽️Uncertainty - we don’t know

◽️Discovery - we can learn

◽️Ingenuity - we can respond

And repeat. As we see new things - via sensemaking, making sense of happenings in hindsight - we’re learning, ready to respond with our collective smarts to solve problems, deliver value and improve situations.

And repeat.

This isn’t fear based but practical skills put to work problem solving, thinking, questioning, collaborating, designing and responding.

Rather than getting in a flap about not knowing ‘anything’ or thinking we need to know ‘everything', these are the ways of working in uncertainty. As we discover, we learn and we can change how we respond. And if we don’t, we’re not such a smart species after all.

Swinging from uncertainty to certainty

We do it so many times a day.

Uncertainty about breakfast.

Certainty about breakfast.

Uncertainty about the bus.

Certainty about the bus.

Uncertainty about the meeting.

Certainty about the meeting.

Uncertainty about the decision.

Certainty about the decision.

We’re all just swinging from being sure about some stuff and unsure about other stuff. And the stuff changes. And the level of certainty and uncertainty can change too.

This is the U in VUCA. How are you going with it? How is your team going? Things are changing so you’ll be certain about some more stuff in a few minutes time. And some other stuff will become uncertain.

Notice the swing: go with the swing. Better than trying to keep everything still in certainty, expecting it to ‘switch’ to certainty and stay there. We’re going with it - oh look, more certainty approaching.

Willing to stay with the problem

We can work with people who are so keen to leap to a solution, they’re not willing to stay with a problem for a little longer.

Why is that? Is it

- pressure to deliver?

- discomfort with the perceived negativity?

- drive to get it done?

- impatience to listen, learn or consider?

It’s so very powerful though, to feel the feels, to really get the empathy and experience of the problem and its consequences. We then give those people experiencing the problem acknowledgement and respect as we sit with the discomfort and inconvenience of the problem.

Try to allow it. For longer. To really explore it, understand it, tease it out or scope it out. Wider and deeper. Not for weeks and months, but at least some hours and days.

Your collective thinking about the solution will most certainly be better. Allowing more time to come up with more ideas and getting more heads, hearts and hands onto it. Don't brush it aside or move on too quickly. A better expression and experience of the problem will elicit a better solution and resolution to the problem.

Do you see patterns

Spotting trends, seeing patterns, staying observant. These are crucial skills for today’s world of work where things change and uncertainty is high.

It’s easy to get caught up in our own world, deep in the culture of a project or workplace, cycling through our usual activities, routines and habits.

So what would make you take notice of something? And how would you make note of it? Do you know how observant you are?

🔲 Oblivious

or

🔲 Observant?

and

🔲 Forgetful

or

🔲 Insightful?

Our powers of observation are powerful... and insight-full. Don't miss them as they fly by!

Take care not to be:

Departed, nor to Waste great insights, or to arrive at them Unfounded.

Today’s changing world needs us to be observant, noticing things, picking up on trends, spotting patterns and connecting sequences of information. It is indeed 'connecting the dots'. 

Overloaded before we start work

Most of us have experienced the feelings of overwhelm and information overload ... just thinking about our 'to do’ list can cue overwhelm.

A group I worked with last week, (boosting cognitive load coping skills + how to deal with information overload) explained how they listen to podcasts, audio books, interviews and radio programs on their daily commutes to work.

There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s entertaining and educational and a great use of time.

What we need to be aware of is how we fill up our sponge or tank with content and information that we absorb, synthesize and digest. Because then we arrive at work and are faced with even more content and information to absorb, synthesize and digest!

Aargh!

No wonder overload comes a’ knocking!

Cognitive overload happens rapidly or g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y. It's possible we could be overloaded before the work day begins, or soon after we get started at work.

Our indicator rises to ‘full’; there's just no capacity to add much more.

An answer? Allow a buffer, like half-time in a sporting event. Allow neutral time where you’re taking in nothing. Nothing. It helps "release the load".