Think
of all the certainties many of us were so sure of just 20 years ago…
The European Union is unbreakable
Terrorism won’t hit U.S. soil
Phones are for talking with people
Clergy are above reproach
Cars can’t drive themselves
Wise executives take stock options over cash compensation
The morning news is delivered in print format
And then things changed.
Yet, things always change. That is why when it comes to succession and
executive
“We live in uncertain times,” is a
mantra that has been voiced since the beginning of time, with each generation
calling theirs the most uncertain of all. So, it is understandable why people
long for some semblance of certainty in their lives.
In fact, we are literally hard-wired to
crave the stability of foregone conclusions.
Certainty is Static
Trends in neuroscience research show
that the brain stores every bit of our memories and actions. It uses this
information to map out how things will be--not just for each moment, but also
for the long term. This concept of predictability is so powerful that it serves
as the foundation for Artificial Intelligence.
When the brain senses the loss of
predictability, it moves into a fight or flight mode. Thus, our desire for the
safety of certainty. Yet danger lurks in this false sense of safety, for our minds
are subject to revisionist histories that spin and reinterpret facts and events.
This can cloud even our most confident illusions of certainty (which are always
associated with the past rather than the future).
Uncertainty
Drives Possibilities
While some of us have personalities that
are continually drawn to the stability of certainty, others thrive in less
predictable environments. Those who soar in uncertainty, but who are grounded
in reality make the best leaders; and those of us who need to feel
safe deserve to be led by only the most bold, mature and flexible people at the
helm. That is why, when searching for executive leadership, it is best to refrain from
candidates who are most comfortable with the status quo.
To manage in this uncertain world, we
need leaders who crave to be in the vanguard, get their energy from
“out-of-the-box” thinking, embrace uncertainty as a doorway to possibilities, and are willing to continually assess their illusions
of certainty.
The next time you are charged with
responsibility to select a leader, resist the temptation to gravitate to
candidates who talk in terms of stability and security. Pay attention to how
much importance each candidate places on surprise, ambiguity and the unknown.
The people in your organization will
attach themselves solidly to a leader who is unafraid yet prudent; ambitious
without being foolhardy; eager rather than tentative. The future depends on
candidates who crave uncertainty.
“Without
the element of uncertainty…the greatest business triumph would be dull, routine
and eminently unsatisfying.”
J. Paul Getty
Image courtesy of winnond@FreeDigitalPhotos.net
