Dr Eric Albertini unpacks ‘Tolerance of Ambiguity’ as one of the 15 ‘future fit skills’ that are critical to being relevant and competent, if not advanced, in the future of work. 

“Tolerance of Ambiguity” (TOA) refers to the extent to which individuals are naturally comfortable with ambiguous or uncertain situations and have an ability to operate effectively in an uncertain environment by considering a range of creative solutions or options.

What are the benefits of Tolerance of Ambiguity?

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.  The reality is that in many situations, complete information is not always readily available – just ask any entrepreneur! An obsession with having all the answers and information up front before making decisions or action can stymie any forward movement or progress.

The ability to tolerate ambiguity is related to a range of positive behaviours in employees and organisations, including being more proactive, resourceful and efficient; being more effective in problem-solving and decision making; and having an increased appetite for creativity and risk-taking.

In the workplace, levels of TOA have been linked to improved employee engagement and job satisfaction, less absenteeism and talent churn, and improved mental health and well-being.  In fact, TOA is foundational for a range of other critical leadership skills such as dealing with paradox; managing chaos, complexity and randomness; sensemaking and the ability to be resourceful and improvise.  The increasing rate of change makes these behavioral outputs of TOA even more critical in business and work contexts. On the flip side, individuals with a low TOA may struggle to make progress as they delay decision-making hoping for more complete details, they are more stressed when things are uncertain, and only operate best when things are structured and predictable.

A word of caution: there is a dark side to overuse of Tolerance of Ambiguity

While there are many benefits of TOA, there are also risks to an overuse of TOA. Be aware of not jumping to conclusions or actions too quickly without enough data and consideration of the alternatives, be conscious not to err toward the new and risky (in the pursuit of the excitement and adrenaline rush) at the expense of proven solutions and be careful that you don’t ignore other people’s needs for clarity before acting too quickly.

What are the attributes of someone with a high TOA?

The following model by Paul Skagg identifies the following attributes in a person tolerant of ambiguity:

• They are not bound by categorisation or functional fixedness – they see the possibilities and usefulness of ideas or objects beyond their accepted grouping or ‘role’.
• Comfortable with uncertainty and able to make decisions using intuition.
• A low fear response to the unfamiliar or change – they see opportunity in change.
• Acceptance of novelty – they are curious and actively seek out new experiences.
• Tolerance for noticing and accepting fluctuating stimuli in the environment or context.
• Delaying selection from multiple solutions – this is about “resistance for closure” whilst seeking alternative ideas, information, solutions, or conclusions.

Another well-known measure of tolerance of ambiguity is Budner’s Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale (1965) with three main measures each with sub-scales – and why individuals with TOA can be assets in the workplace:

1. Comfort with Ambiguity. This scale indicates the ease individuals have with ambiguous situations at work, especially relating to relationships, unfamiliar situations, different ways of thinking or difficult problems. This is made up of:
   1. Comfort with difficult problems - even if there is uncertainty about the solution.
   2. Interpersonal Comfort - able to navigate relationships in the workplace.
   3. Multiple perspectives:The ability to view situations as not simply good or bad, right, or wrong, or through stereotypes, but from multiple perspectives.
   4. Comfort with Unfamiliarity:Comfortable in new situations and taking on different work rather than routine and habitual activities.
2. Desire for Challenging Work.This scale reflects the extent to which an individual desires or embraces complexity and is eager to solve problems and to take risks in work situations. This is made up:
   1. Embracing Complexity:Desire to engage in complex work situations and problems in which there is a great number of cues to consider, as opposed to predictable or regular situations.
   2. Embracing Problem Solving Opportunities:Ability to embrace unclear or new work assignments with limited information and to create structure to solve problems.
   3. Risk Taking Orientation:Attracted to situations at work where there are opportunities to take risks and do things never done before, preferring to risk failing over being bored.
3. Coping with Uncertainty: relates to the mechanisms an individual might use to cope with ambiguity and uncertainty in the workplace including using communication, reasoning and plans to minimise ambiguity.
   1. Desire for Clarity:seeks clarity as a way of managing ambiguity, focusing on straightforward reasoning, communication and a shared understanding of goals.
   2. Comfort with Uncertainty:At ease with situations that are uncertain, open to new ideas, comfortable working with a range of individuals who do not necessarily have all the answers.

 

Can one be taught to tolerate ambiguity? 

The answer lies in understanding the dimensions or attributes of individuals who are tolerant of ambiguity. Much has been researched and written about how to develop tolerance of ambiguity. The following are eight habits to focus on to develop your tolerance of and comfort with ambiguity or uncertainty:

• Master Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a key trait of TOA. This relates to being able to regulate and have control over one’s emotions, manage stress and be in the present moment.
• Be Assertive: Assertive behaviors such as taking charge of situations and not expecting others to lead are related with someone with high levels of TOA. These people influence others and are prepared to present their opinions and have a say.
• Focus on What Matters: Minimise distractions and noise and identify and focus your attention on important tasks, identifying unimportant details that can be overwhelming in an ambiguous situation.
• Practice Agility: A trait displayed by people with high levels of TOA is their ability to be flexible when change or uncertainty is present in the workplace. Do not get caught up in small details, rewire your mindset to accept that perfection is not accessible nor a worthy endeavour.
• Cultivate Curiosity: This centres around interrelating with others and communicating and listening to co-workers when difficulties arise, asking questions that inspire curiosity and if challenged with resistance from others, asking questions that lead to identifying possible solutions that will assist. Collaboration is also important, inspiring participation from others, asking questions, creating powerful professional relationships and networks for a wide range of thought, sharing ideas and being available to connect the ideas of different individuals.
• Act Courageously: Courage is exhibited in people who are able to face their fears, step out of their comfort zone and back their own opinions and beliefs. They are able to fight for others, speak the truth even when unpopular and speak their mind freely even if there might be negative consequences. Courageous people are able to face difficult or awkward situations and are happy with not knowing all the answers.
• Let go and move on: It is important not to dwell on errors but to learn from them. People who can let go, and, move on are able to “unhook” themselves from the past and not dwell on missed opportunities or mistakes. Once they reach a decision they also do not look back.
• Think Differently: Tolerance of ambiguity can also be cultivated by developing one’s ingenuity at work. Learn to think differently, critically and with a design-thinking mindset.

In the new world of work, Tolerance of Ambiguity is one of 15 critical skills needed in any industry, at every level. To learn more about the 15 future fit skills, visit https://www.futurefitacademy.com/

References

• American Management Association Leading into the Future(2005)
• https://www.trainingjournal.com/articles/feature/leading-uncertain-times
• https://davejensenonleadership.com/free-articles/
• Tolerance of Ambiguity – Paul Skaggs - https://www.idsa.org/educationpaper/tolerance-ambiguity
• Carter McNamara, Authenticity Consulting, LLC Accessed 8th June 2020
• https://managementhelp.org/personaldevelopment/thinking/dealing-with-ambiguity.htm
• Colin Shaw, “Dealing with ambiguity: The new business imperative”  Beyond Philosophy Accessed 9th June 2020 https://beyondphilosophy.com/dealing-with-ambiguity-the-new-business-imperative/
• https://www.workdesign.com/2015/05/complexity-as-an-advantage-in-workplace-strategy/
• O’Connor, Peter, Becker, Karen, & Fewster, Kerryn (2018) “Tolerance of ambiguity at work predicts leadership, job performance, and creativity.”  In Creating Uncertainty Conference, 2018-07-01 - 2018-07-05.