01 BL 1-3 - Leading Effectively in A VUCA Environment A Is For Ambiguity Col Eric G

4/9/2014 Leading Effectively in a VUCA Environment: A is for Ambiguity - Col. Eric G.
Kail - Harvard Business Review
HBR Blog Network

Leading Effectively in a VUCA Environment: A is for Ambiguity
by Col. Eric G. Kail | 8:30 AM January 6, 2011
This is the last in a series on the four aspects of VUCA, a framework used b y the U.S. military to describ e the
environment in terms of volatility (http://b logs.hb r.org/frontline-leadership/2010/11/leading-in-a-vuca-
environment.html) , uncertainty (http://b logs.hb r.org/frontline-leadership/2010/11/leading-in-a-vuca-environment-
1.html) , complexity (http://b logs.hb r.org/frontline-leadership/2010/12/leading-effectively-in-a-vuca.html) , and
amb iguity.
Diversity and global reach introduce ambiguity to the environment; therefore opportunities and
challenges must be appreciated from multiple aspects, not just our own personal leadership
lens. Whereas the frustration we experience from volatility, uncertainty, and complexity might
leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, ambiguity leads primarily to inefficiency and
missed opportunities. Toleration of either will leave us surviving at best, and we want to lead
our organizations to thrive.
There are a few things we know about ambiguity; it is one of the leading causes of conflict
within a business unit, impossible to diagnose from a singular perspective, and its second- and third-order effects are
capable of dismantling an organization. Two symptoms are frequently associated with ambiguity: the inability to
accurately conceptualize threats and opportunities before they become lethal and increasing frustration that
compartmentalized accomplishments don’t add up to comprehensive or enduring success.
Leaders must provide clarity so that work assignments and goals are not as ambiguous as the environment.
Ambiguity doesn’t paralyze workers; it makes them insecure and stirs them up. Competent employees, when faced
with ambiguity, will do what they are most comfortable doing in order to feel as if they are contributing something
appropriate. Doing something, whether it’s helpful or not, makes us feel good. A leader must provide clear direction
and synchronize the efforts of others while continually communicating any adjustments.
In one of the most high pressure leadership roles I’ve had, I routinely crafted a notional and unique crisis action
scenario for me and my staff to work through together. I temporarily isolated us from other parts of our organization and
allowed no cell phones and only one laptop computer in the room. Immediately after I announced the crisis at hand,
everyone wanted to be the one to power up the laptop and start building a spreadsheet or slide presentation;
unproductive busy work without direction. Invariably, one of my staff members became uncomfortable enough to speak
up and ask for clarification on what exactly it was we were trying to achieve. That’s when the real learning and
development started. The lessons we learned together while working through ambiguity paid off big time. We became
more efficient and collaborative communicators, and I became increasingly confident in my staff’s ability to function
very well (and yes, sometimes even better) in my absence. I had some great emerging leaders on that staff, far more
talented than I’ll ever be, and I know they’re developing their next generation too.
I offer three ways to lead more effectively in an ambiguous environment:
1. Listen well.
There is a difference between listening and waiting to speak, and those communicating with you can tell when you
are doing either. Give special attention to questions like “What are we doing?” and “What’s our goal?”. Your initial
reaction might be to treat someone asking these questions as if he or she is not on board with your plan, but
ambiguity may drive a leader in an ineffective direction, and people want to be part of a meaningful work effort. In
order to draw strength from diversity, all voices must be heard, and my experience tells me that subordinate leaders
will listen to others only as well as we listen to them. Don’t create your own friction by hearing just what you want to
hear from diverse voices representing valuable perspectives.
http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/01/leading-effectively-in-a-vuca-1/ 1/2
4/9/2014 Leading Effectively in a VUCA Environment: A is for Ambiguity - Col. Eric G. Kail - Harvard Business Review
2. Think divergently.
Openness to new ideas is a leadership characteristic highly correlated with effectiveness. This means seeing past
your own ideas. It requires confidence born of competence to care more about a great idea gaining a voice rather
than whose voice gets credit. Diversity of race and gender are most certainly important in order to provide role
models for emerging leaders. But we must look for diversity in other ways as well. The days of one best solution are
gone for good; see the second- and third-order opportunities inherent in equally attractive solutions.
3. Set up incremental dividends.

Celebrating success is important, especially in an ambiguous environment. When the way ahead is not clear, it is
reassuring to have tangible proof that we are moving in the right direction. Our stakeholders need to know that we
can achieve small gains over the long term; setting and achieving incremental dividends is a great way to build and
maintain momentum, confidence and trust, in both the leader and the organization. A series of intermediate
objectives afford us the opportunity to continually assess our environment from a position of relative control and
strength: a true luxury in any environment.
Colonel Eric G. Kail, commissioned as an artillery officer in the U.S. Army in 1988, has commanded multiple
organizations and served at several levels of staff responsib ility in conventional and special operations units. He holds
Master of Science Degrees in Psychology and Leader Development from Long Island University and in National
Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College and a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from North
Carolina State University. He has three comb at tours and his awards include the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device for
Valor. Eric currently serves as the course director for military leadership at West Point.
http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/01/leading-effectively-in-a-vuca-1/ 2/2

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4/9/2014 Leading Effectively in a VUCA Environment: A is for Ambiguity - Col. Eric G.

Kail - Harvard Business Review

HBR Blog Network

I offer three ways to lead more effectively in an ambiguous environment:

3. Set up incremental dividends.

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