HBR On Leadership

How to Embrace Ambiguity When Making Decisions

Jul 17, 2024

Wendy Smith, a management professor, and Marianne Lewis, the Dean at the University of Cincinnati, co-author the book "Both/And Thinking." They discuss how leaders can embrace ambiguity in decision-making rather than choosing between binary options. By reframing questions, they reveal how to find creative solutions and foster interdependencies. Their insights highlight the significance of balancing compassion with competence in leadership, particularly in navigating complexities during challenging times.

27:30

Episode guests

Marianne Lewis

Wendy Smith

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Quick takeaways

Leaders should embrace ambiguity and paradox in decision-making for creative solutions.

Both-and thinking breaks vicious cycles by finding synergies and fostering collaboration for effective solutions.

Deep dives

Embracing Ambiguity and Paradox in Decision-Making

Leaders should move beyond either-or choices and embrace ambiguity and paradox in decision-making. By reframing questions and shifting focus to interdependencies, solutions can be more creative and sustainable. Effective organizations balance managing current operations efficiently with fostering innovation for the future.

Framing the Problem

01:17

Navigating Paradoxes through Personal and Neutral Reflection

01:36

Better Solutions Through Collaboration

01:37

Intro

2min

Embracing Both-And Thinking

8min

Navigating Decision-Making Through Both-And Thinking

2min

Navigating Polarization for Collaborative Solutions

3min

Balancing Compassion and Competence in Leadership

12min

Navigating Decision-Making and Leadership Insights

2min

Making business decisions often means choosing one path over another—but that doesn’t always need to be the case. Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis argue that leaders should move beyond “either/or” choices and try to come up with solutions that embrace ambiguity and paradox.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to reframe the question you’re asking in order to get more creative answers. You’ll also learn how to shift your own internal thinking away from oppositional relationships and instead focus on interdependencies.

Smith is a management professor at the University of Delaware, and Lewis is dean of the University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business. Together they’re coauthors of the book Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems.

Key episode topics include: leadership, decision making and problem solving, tradeoffs, reframing.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

· Listen to the original HBR IdeaCast episode: Decisions Don’t Have to Be Either-Or (2022)

· Find more episodes of HBR IdeaCast.

· Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.

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HBR On Leadership

How to Embrace Ambiguity When Making Decisions

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Embracing Ambiguity and Paradox in Decision-Making

Navigating Tensions Especially Amid Change

Breaking Vicious Cycles Through Both-And Thinking

Framing the Problem

Navigating Paradoxes through Personal and Neutral Reflection

Better Solutions Through Collaboration

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts