Ambiguity is a fact of life, particularly in large organizations. We see it everywhere: the unknown and unpredictability that comes from massive systems. What defines our organizational culture is how we respond to ambiguity.
Leaders are faced with two paths. One is to focus on control and develop processes and systems that manage and control every aspect of the organization. The thinking is that if we control enough, we eliminate ambiguity. But that’s not how social systems work! People are complex, and human interaction is even more so. Organizations and leaders who prioritize control often value rule-following and deincentivize risk-taking. They chip away at feelings of trust and safety by punishing those who do not follow set processes, even if those processes and rules make no sense in the given circumstance.
The other path is to embrace flexibility. In these cultures, processes and systems are developed to be flexible and responsive to changing conditions and needs. Value is placed on people and their ability to think beyond “the rules” and instead identify the solutions needed to meet the challenges they face at the moment. Risk-taking is incentivized, and leaders work to build trust and safety so those in the organization can feel confident in their response. Checks and balances are created through collaboration rather than arbitrated through hierarchy.
I’ll let you guess which culture allows creativity and innovation to thrive.