How to Navigate Ambiguity and Uncertainty
Uncertainty finds comfort in nostalgia.
Those who run from ambiguity and uncertainty are bound to repeat the past.
Uncertainty and humility:
The higher you go in organizational life, the lower your tolerance for uncertainty.
Arrogance ties itself to status, position, and admiration.
Humility enables leaders to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity, but uncertainty repels arrogance.
Humility knows itself and tolerates ambiguity and uncertainty.
Identity blurs into performance for arrogant leaders. Performance isn’t identity for humility.
Failure, learning and personal development fall by the wayside when arrogance controls leaders.
Humility and arrogance:
- Humility doesn’t need status. Arrogance compares, stands aloof, and puts others down.
- Humility is FOR others. Arrogance is FOR itself. Arrogance is stressed. It worries that it won’t get it’s due and fears losing status.
- Humility stands WITH. Arrogance stands above and against. Standing WITH creates freedom and gratitude. Standing above and against creates stress, anger, envy, contempt, and insecurity.
- Humility delights in service. Arrogance demands recognition.
- Humility shows compassion. Arrogance clings to offense.
- Humility speaks truth. Arrogance lies to save face.
- Humility acknowledges frailty. Arrogance fakes competency.
- Humility connects. Arrogance builds walls.
- Humility sees opportunity in ambiguity. Arrogance sees threat.
- Humility brings its best. Arrogance needs to win.
- Humility learns because it confesses it doesn’t know. Arrogance needs to know and doesn’t learn.
- Humility adapts. Arrogance controls.
Humility is authentic because performance isn’t identity.
Humble leaders thrive in uncertainty and ambiguity.
How might leaders navigate uncertainty and ambiguity?
Clear, open communication and expectations is one key to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity.
I am new to this blog. I am blown away by these powerful insights. Every day there’s a fresh new encouragement and mile marker for my professional journey. Thank you!
You may now drop the mic, Dan. But I know you won’t. You help keep me going.
“Arrogance demands recognition” “Arrogance sees threat”
I am reluctant the think that some of this is due to pure arrogance. While overall I feel this is a helpful comparison of humility vs. arrogance, I feel that sometimes those types of “arrogant” behaviors are not due to arrogance, but perhaps that persons personality type or maybe trauma from previous life events.
For instance, I am someone that feels the need to have some recognition, but I wouldn’t say I’m arrogant. Some personality types thrive on knowing that when they are good, they are rewarded, and when they are not, they are forgotten or punished. It helps me build confidence and the knowledge that I am on the right track.
I also sometimes feel threatened because of past experiences, but I work hard to tamp it down.
Bottom line, make sure you are not identifying all those behaviors as pure arrogance and make sure there aren’t underlying reasons for it.
Wow, Dan! Awesome. Humility, I believe, is also a gateway to bigger and better opportunities. Arrogance might shy away from trying something uncertain or new for fear or failing. Humility recognizes that every master was once a beginner and seeks to learn.
It’s everything I have on my mind with regard to humility, arrogance, learning and communicating.
Dan, thank you!!! <3
It’s everything I have on my mind with regard to humility, arrogance, learning and communicating