By Dave Bushy, PCC
Clear about Ambiguity? That’s a bit paradoxical, isn’t it? How in the world could you be clear about a word which means “the quality of being open to more than one interpretation?”
Well let’s try.
Some of us live in and embrace ambiguity every day. We appreciate differing views of the world, seeing things in varying ways, sometimes by the day or even the minute. Think about the world of art. No doubt there is an artist in each of us interpreting color and light and sounds in wonderfully unique ways. Creativity is a powerful outcome and beauty is the result.
There are those who bring this creativity into their personal and professional lives. And while they might not think of themselves as artists, when employed effectively, their creativity has a beneficial result. For instance, a leader might throw trial balloons out to subordinates and peers, intentionally giving the recipients a healthy sense of ambiguity about how to approach problems and issues a team faces. That way the leader can encourage different interpretations and unleash creative approaches that support diverse and powerful outcomes. By leaving others to explore different ways of seeing things, the leader can support team growth and innovation.
In this scenario, ambiguity might well be a significant attribute to this leader, supporting individual and team success. For that, it may become their “go-to” approach and, as a result, feels easy or well-developed. Part of the ambiguity “muscle,” though, is that it becomes comfortable for the individual using it. Not having to provide clear input or being seen with clarity affords the opportunity to live in the shadows of a company or organization.
The cautionary tale for all of us, though, is that those who live in the shadows do not afford themselves the opportunity to be seen in the light. Because any “muscle” or capability may be at times used so regularly that it has a cost. Those who are ambiguous in many or all of their dealings, for instance, may not be understood in a clear way, or may even be seen as not focused. And their role in the organization becomes mired in a level of ambiguity that can dramatically diminish their effectiveness.
For example, leaving oneself open to different interpretations of how one works and even the leadership position and authority one holds can not only cause confusion but can lead to resentment by others. Teams might see the leader as a chameleon who chooses lack of definition in order to readily change opinions. Or they may even think the leader will choose to take credit for initiatives that had previously been opposed. In this instance, leaving oneself and one’s role up to interpretation has a negative consequence.
Being aware of when one is using ambiguity – or clarity – is essential. We need to recognize when and why we are using either and work to understand the relative benefit or cost of both approaches.
Of equal importance is when someone is experiencing ambiguity. It might be inadvertent, like a leader who gives a subordinate an ambiguous title or role. Or it might be intentional as a means of control or as a means of trying to spark creativity in a team or one of its members. Such situations require exploration and awareness-building before moving towards any type of action.
All aspects of either ambiguity or clarity aren’t about right or wrong so much as they are about the importance of knowing one is making a choice. A distinction must be made: “Am I going to be clear and defining now or am I going to play with ambiguity?”
In other words, it’s okay for a leader to be ambiguous…as long as they are clear about it.
Dave Bushy of Boston Executive Coaches – bostonexecutivecoaches.com – is a an ICF-certified coach who was trained at the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC). Dave is a former U.S. Army officer and senior airline executive who works with leaders throughout the world.
Image by Mariana Vartaci from Pixabay