“When I am willing to step into the realm of uncertainty and ambiguity, I open myself up to infinite possibilities.” - Anita MoorjaniIn March of 2020, we had a crash course in change and ambiguity. We quickly changed from working in the office to working from our homes and dealt with the ambiguity of when the pandemic would end and what things would be like after the pandemic.
We all passed! High five!
However, it wasn’t always easy. It was often stressful and everything going on in the world affected everyone differently.
So, what lessons can we carry with us? Expecting the unexpected is easier said than done. Our fear of the unknown is natural and can assist us in survival. It’s something to be aware of and managed, but not eliminated. Autonomy and being able to control our environments help to ease our anxieties. So, if fear of the unknown protects us from danger, why is it that when you Google “how to deal with ambiguity” there is so much information on how to eliminate and reduce it? The answer is that to achieve a goal or acquire a new or better outcome, we often need to do something differently. Doing something differently -- adapting -- is often about survival.
Preparing for, reducing, and managing ambiguity is the responsibility of both leadership and individuals. After the initial shock and awe of a sudden change, we need to take certain steps to help us adapt. It’s also useful to remember that even desired changes can be stressful, have their downsides, and need continuous reassessment.
In the past year and a half, we have watched and learned about how we respond to and deal with uncertainty and transition and can carry those lessons with us. Regardless of what we do to cope with upheaval, ambiguity ,and change or what advice we find most useful, the first thing to acknowledge is that our mind and bodies’ initial reaction is normal but can and should be managed. Fear of change and change itself are both about survival.
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