No one likes uncertainty, yet our success may depend on it. In the bestseller, Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing, Jamie Holmes argues that uncertainty and ambiguity are invaluable mindsets in an increasingly complex world. In fact, he wants us to rethink our desire for order and closure, so that we can be better leaders, decision makers, and innovators.

A recent Future Tense Fellow at New America, Jamie has written for the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Philadelphia Inquirer, CNN, the Huffington Post, POLITICO, the Christian Science Monitor, the New Republic, the Atlantic, Slate, Foreign Policy, and the Daily Beast.

In this episode you will learn:

the reasons why a high tolerance for uncertainty is so valuable right now
the ways we can use uncertainty to avoid bad decisions
how our need for closure and order drives so much of what we do
the value of uncertainty for innovation and creativity
strategies for guarding against negative behaviors associated with certainty
when (and how) to hire employees who thrive on uncertainty
the kinds of leaders we prefer versus need in times of uncertainty
how successful, innovative companies incorporate uncertainty into their business models
what this means for educators and learners
the real-world disorder and chaos associated with innovation, discovery, and creativity
concrete strategies to help students get more comfortable with uncertainty
what a renowned golf instructor can teach us about feedback
the power of travel and bilingualism for building this capacity
the power of reading fiction for helping us strengthen our tolerance for uncertainty

Jamie also shares how uncertainty, ambiguity and not knowing make us better leaders and expand our capacity for innovation and creativity.

Episode Links

Jerome Bruner

Leo Postman

Travis Proulx

Jordan Peterson

CM 013: Jamie Holmes on the Surprising Benefits of Uncertainty

Curious Minds at Work